Maybe Baby
by movieholic
Summary: ...but mostly it was the pain that clouded those blue eyes that tore at Cameron's heart everyday.
1. The Cripple

Cameron couldn't look away from the sharp blue orbs that seemed to pierce her soul as they glazed over ever so slightly…those wise, bright, knowing eyes sometimes full of humor, sometimes bitterness or resentfulness …but mostly it was the pain that clouded those blue eyes that tore at Cameron's heart everyday.

Today was no exception to the pain clouded eyes, and with good reason too. He had just been shot by a vengeful ex-patient, two shots fired into the still, tense filled air…the sound echoing off of the halls as they soared and reached their target, followed by a grunt of agony from him, as he hit the ground with a thud, and a scream of terror that ripped through the frenzied atmosphere from a passing nurse.

Cameron had reached him last; Foreman and Chase were already kneeling at his fallen side, trying to quell the onslaught of maroon blood that stained their clothing and the recently waxed floors. They barked orders at panicking nurses, ignoring Cameron as she hung back slightly, still in shock.

Foreman and Chase gingerly picked up his sagging body, carrying him to the stretcher that seemed to appear out of nowhere beside Cameron's trembling form. As soon as his body hit the stretcher, the doctors pushed it as fast as they could down the halls of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital of New Jersey.

Cameron blinked back tears of concern and dread as she slowly followed the stretcher, she felt as if she was dreaming…moving in slow motion towards the end of the hall as everyone surged forward to aide the injured man…"the cripple", everyone called him behind his back and much to Cameron's dislike, it was the nicest nickname out of all the others that they dubbed him.

Cameron had finally reached the end of the hall, suddenly realizing that they disappeared already. She turned on her heel slowly and stared down the deserted hall, she could have swore that the thin, lingering gun-smoke was not that but was instead fear and tension; That the stench of blood was not blood but the ebbing pain and agony he had endured, was _still_ enduring.

Cameron sniffled before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and marching purposefully towards the elevators that would lead her to _his_ side, to Gregory House's side.

* * *

The soft beeping of monitors were anything but soft to the sensitive ears of Greg House as he blinked awake, his stiff tongue lapping at his dry bottom lip, begging for a drop of water. House rolled his eyes upward, squeezing his eyes shut to quell the unmerciful, pounding migraine that thumped a steady beat against House's skull.

House swallowed repeatedly, dying for a drink…dying…dying…

_**I should be dead…am I dying? Assess the wounds, you're a doctor damn it.**_

House tried to move his body, and found out soon enough that any little movement caused an excruciating pain to sear through his abdomen. The extent of the pain caught House off guard, causing him to let out a brittle yelp of agony as the pain rippled through his entire body.

Suddenly a young woman leapt up from House's peripheral vision and leant over him, asking him questions as his head swam and lights danced in his eyes as the pain started to subside. House allowed himself a few deep breaths before fully noticing the young woman was Cameron.

Cameron edged back to her seat and watched as House struggled to find something to say. Cameron finally sighed and asked softly, "Water?"

House nodded and accepted the offered cool, beverage greedily. He guzzled the drink as if it were whiskey and sighed as his parched lips became moist yet again. Cameron took the empty cup and threw it into a trashcan.

"Better?"

House nodded once and eyed her with a scrutinizing blue eye before replying in a gruff tone, "Thanks.

"Of course." She answered simply.

* * *

TBC...

I will continue all of my other fanfics, do not worry. I'm just busy because (NO BS) I have 2 projects due in all four of my classes.

PLEASE REVIEW!! AND CHEER ME UP, LOL!

P.S. _**These are House's or someone else's thoughts, I'd be sure to indicate whos. **These are flashbacks._


	2. It Wasn't A Dream, Was It?

**A/N: THANKS for the reviews; you guys certainly cheered me up, lol.**

* * *

_House yawned and carefully placed his bad leg onto the coffee table as he reached lazily for the remote. Flipping through the channels so intently, House didn't hear the repetitive knocking at his front door till he decided to reach for his Vicodin bottle, for his throbbing leg. __The knocking grew louder as he made his way slowly towards the front door, grumbling. He flung it open to reveal a brown haired, hazel-eyed, shy Allison Cameron stepping away from the door as it loudly banged against House's wall._

_"Cameron? People in China can hear you knocking on my door." He griped while he balanced carefully against his cane._

_"Then why couldn't you hear it, Dr. House?" she remarked, before covering her hand over her mouth and blushing slightly._

_House wanted to be mad for her challengingly him so blindly, but he wound up pursing his lips and letting out a barking laugh. He stepped away from the door, inviting her in silently. She nodded curtly and nearly ran in._

_"What do you really want, Cameron?" he asked as he leaned against his sofa, rubbing his bad leg unknowingly._

_"You… I mean, your help." She blushed again._

_House raised seductive eyebrow and smirked. _

_"Everyone wants me…in everyway Cameron, so don't be so embarrassed about it." He claimed as he chuckled at her flushed demeanor._

_"You know what I meant, House. We need you help on a case, now, it's urgent." She quipped, regaining her color back._

_"So now it's we? I do threesomes honey, but not with men."_

_"Yeah, you do them with hookers." She slapped her hand over her mouth again and groaned._

_"Wow. Have you been drinking? Finally grew a backbone... it's just a little unerving to see little Allison trying to act tough... entertaining though.."_

_"House…" she started, "House_…House wake up!"

House's eyes suddenly flung open and he glanced around, Cameron was leaning over the bed, a concern look etched into her tired face. He pulled away instinctively before asking, "What?"

"You're running a fever, House. If it goes any higher you can star-"

"Convulsing." He replied, sweat dripping off his brow and his damp, brown hair sticking to his head.

"Yeah, we're going to move you to an ice bath, okay?" she explained slowly, as if she were speaking to a child.

"Is that a g-good idea? I mean I was only just shot twice a few hours ago…"

Cameron looked at him confused before it dawned on House.

"How long ago, Cameron?" he mumbled.

"It happened over a week ago, House." She whispered.

House groaned and gingerly touched his jaw, grimacing when he realized his face was covered in scruffy fuzz. He allowed his hand to drop to his side weakly, before staring Cameron right in her eyes. She looked at him puzzled, waiting for him to speak.  
"I had a dream, you were in it…y-you came over to my p-lace…it wasn't a dream was it?" he stumbled over the words as his fever started to spike again.

Cameron's breath hitched in her throat as she dabbed a wet cloth against House's pale forehead. He grabbed her wrist with a feeble hand before asking again in a gruff tone, "It wasn't a dream, was it?"

Cameron was glad when the nurses rushed in to aide him into the ice bath they had set up across the room. House managed to send Cameron an icy blue glare before his eyes rolled up into his head and he started convulsing. Cameron gasped as she stood back and watched as they held him down and placed something in his mouth so he wouldn't choke on his own tongue.

"Doctor! We need to get him into the bath now!" someone shouted at Cameron.

She nodded numbly before darting forward and half-carrying House's jumping body into the freezing ice tub. She stood back again, allowing the nurses to continue helping him. She turned her back and felt the tears well up in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip. She absentmindedly reached a slightly trembling hand down and caressed her stomach, as if to soothe it.

* * *

TBC...

I know their short, and this chapter is a pretty lousy read but please bear with me.

REVIEW PLEASE!


	3. Secret's Out

Cameron glanced every so often to House's unconscious form, chewing on her bottom lip even more fervently than before while she continued her obsessive staring. She watched his chest slowly raise, then fall as he breathed slowly in and out, unaware to most of the past events in that week.

"Allison?" a soft, boyish voice called out hesitantly.

Cameron jumped in her seat and whirled to face the door where James Wilson, House's only close friend, stood anxiously watching House from the doorway. She motioned him in and he nodded and quickly stepped into the room, closing the glass door behind himself.

Wilson took a few tentative steps towards House's side before gesturing to him and asking softly, "How is he?"

Cameron sighed before replying, "So far, so good."

Wilson let out a relieved sigh while he made his way to Cameron. He watched House breathe in and out for a few moments before casting her a sideways glance and noting how exhausted and hungry she looked.

"How are _you_?" he asked quietly, as if raising his voice would shatter the deafening quiet of the room, save for the beeping of monitors and House's unwavering shallow breathing.

Cameron held her breath, pondering whether or not she could fully trust Wilson with her deepest, dark secret. Her hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Wilson as he knelt beside her and took her slender hand in his warm one. He looked at with his brown chocolaty eyes and asked again softly, "How are you, honestly?"

"Wilson, I'm pregnant." She finally blurted loud enough for only him to hear, paranoid about the fact that even though asleep, House would have heard her secret.

Wilson's eyes went wide before he looked over at House opened mouth and back at her. She bit her bottom lip hard as she waited for Wilson to say something.

"Is he…?"

"Yes."

"Does he…?"

"No."

"Are you…?

"I don't know."

"So lemme get this straight, Cameron. You slept with your _boss_…are pregnant with _his_ child, he doesn't know _you're_ pregnant and you don't know whether _you're_ going to tell _him_ or not?"

Cameron nodded slowly as she registered all of what Wilson had said.

"That's right on, Wilson."

Wilson exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose before holding both of his hands up in a surrendering position and standing up gradually. He looked over at House's pale body before looking back to Cameron's worried-face one.

"How far along are you?" he asked, giving in to curiosity.

"About a month."

"So…you must've gone over when he was suspended, didn't you? The whole Chase incident?" he said in a slightly accusing tone as he kept his eyes glued to his friend.

Cameron blushed before nodding and whispering, "I didn't mean for it to happen."

Wilson let out a small laugh before replying more to himself than to Cameron, "Nobody _plans_ it… it would be kinda weird if they _planned_ it, wouldn't it?"

Cameron started to twirl a strand of her thick brown hair as she continued to avoid looking at Wilson's brown-eyed stare of disbelief. He finally threw his hands up and scoffed softly, "I'm gonna go get some lunch an think…I'll bring you something to eat, okay?"

Cameron shook her head and pursed her pink lips, "No, it's okay Wilson, I'm not really hungry."

"Well, I bet House Junior is." He retorted quietly, causing Cameron to flinch.

"Okay." She whispered.

Wilson nodded and fled the room, his lab coat swishing behind him like a cape. Cameron leant forward and grabbed House's hand and clutched it tightly, squeezing her eyes shut as tears cascaded down her cheeks silently. Suddenly there was a soft squeeze as a gruff voice whispered softly, "You're such a crybaby."

Cameron jumped and wiped at her face with the back of her other hand. House opened one eye and watched her wearily as she continued to wipe at the tears on her cheeks. He gave her a half smile and asked, "Please tell me I still look as sexy as ever."

Cameron let out a small laugh before sniffling.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, suddenly uncomfortable.

House suddenly tensed and squeezed his eyes shut again before replying, "_Well, I bet House Junior is_…that about right?"

Cameron sighed and stroked House's hand with her thumb before answering, "That's about right."

House sighed and asked, "Ever planned on telling daddy that you had a bun in the oven? Because it would be kinda of hard to miss the fact that your stomach will be protruding in a couple months, you know. What were you going to say? 'It's nothing, House, I just ate a raccoon for breakfast.'"

"I was going to tell you but-"

"I sorta got shot and was knocked unconscious for a week? Yeah that could kinda postpone things, now wouldn't it? What happened to the bastard anyway?"

"They arrested him, he's in jail right now, serving an attempted murder charge."

House grinned and said, "Awesome."

"House…we need to talk-"

"You know, being shot isn't what it's all cracked up to be. Can you up the morphine, I can't reach it." House interrupted.

Cameron scoffed before it dawned on her, "You're going to ignore this aren't you? What happens when the kid is born, are you just going to ignore it?"

"It? That's kinda of harsh, isn't Cameron?" House replied sarcastically.

Cameron let out a growl of frustration before she realized that they were still holding hands. She ripped hers out from his weak grip before marching up to the machine, opening it, and upping his morphine.

She stood at the machine before whirling around, seething.

"I cannot believe you House. I can't believe _this_. I know you have 'issues' with people because of the way they stare and call you a cripple…you act as if that doesn't bother you but I sure as hell know that you just drink all the scotch, vodka and whiskey you can get your hands on to dull the pain! I also know that after Stacey you have major trust issues, but I never thought that you would neglect your own child in order to remain in your stupid shell of self-pity and pain!"

House, at this point was watching her wide-eyed and tense, an angry storm glistening in his eyes as well as the hurt of the words as they sliced through his heart. He immediately pushed the hurt aside, his face a placid mask yet again.

"You should write by biography." Was the only that escaped his lips as Cameron let out another frustrated sigh as she stormed out of the room.

House blinked hard a few times, unsure of what that feeling was settling in his stomach… guilt? Was he saddened by watching her go?

_**No, I'm gonna be sick.**_ House thought, as he leaned over the railing of the bed and hurled nothing but bile, having not eaten anything solid in a while.

* * *

TBC...

Thanks for all the reviews so far, you guys always make me smile...

So please keep REVIEWING...please, lol.


	4. Tattletale

"_You should write my biography…"_ his brusque tone and harsh words resonated against Cameron's skull as she silently cried into the palms of her hands. She pressed her back flat up against the wall of House's office, the room dark and menacing without House's music or his twinkling blue eyes.

Cameron sighed and despite her self-pitying and loneliness, she grinned to herself. _**Twinkling…whether it is from humor or alcohol, his eyes are always twinkling.**_

"I hope you have your dad's eyes," Cameron whispered to her stomach as she stared at the latter's name backwards on his glass door.

"Me too." A familiar rough voice grumbled from the other door that led into House's office.

"House, you shouldn't be out of bed!" Cameron exclaimed as she stood up to aide House to his couch.

"You shouldn't be sitting on the floor when you're pregnant and stuff," He quipped idly as he allowed Cameron to set him on the couch.

"House, there's a difference!" she scoffed as she rushed to the phone to call Cuddy and inform her that House escaped unsurprisingly.

House smiled and easily replied, "Wait till you're in labor…boy will you be singing a different tune then."

Cameron rolled her eyes while she brushed a lock of brown hair out of her eyes, sitting at House's feet as they waited for Cuddy to arrive and scold him.

"May I ask what _you're_ doing out of bed?"

"May I ask why _you're_ wearing that low-cut blouse? No wonder you're knocked up…" he asked rhetorically.

"House." She stated, started to get irritated.

"I wanted to…you know…do I really have to say it?" he whined.

"Yes you do."

"Fine…I'm sorry, happy?" he mumbled quickly.

Cameron suddenly leant forward and placed a small kiss on House's cheek, causing him to watch her curiously as if he was a dog and she was his master. Cuddy suddenly barged in the dark room fuming, shooting daggers at Cameron.

"What? He left on his own accord, I didn't touch him."

House smirked at the statement and thought; _**we**_ _**did more than touch.  
**_House rolled his eyes then, realizing he was looking off into space and said in a whiny voice, "Tattletale."

"House get your ass up and into the recovery room right now." Demanded Cuddy.

House, with mocking seriousness, reached over and gently placed a hand on Cameron's stomach as he declared, "Watch your mouth Grandma! Wouldn't want House Junior picking up your nasty language, you crazy ol' coot."

Cuddy stared at Cameron wide eyed, her mouth opening and closing like a fish while House watched with his lips pursed in amusement.

"Cameron you're…he's…you?" Cuddy couldn't form a coherent sentence as she pointed a finger at Cameron angrily.

House, eyes darting back and forth between the two women, laughed and exclaimed, "Wow! How cool is this? You didn't know? And here I thought you two were secret lovers and Cuddy was you're new boy toy," House leaned over and placed a hand over his mouth as if he were telling Cameron a secret as he continued mockingly, "I'm glad you got rid of the Australian, dim one isn't he?"

Cuddy squeezed her eyes shut tightly before whirling to face House directly.

"House, bed now!" she barked before turning to Cameron and muttering, "We'll talk later."

House frowned and knitted his brows together like a child before standing up slowly and complaining, "Aww man…you never lemme do anything fun."

"I think getting shot twice and knocking up your employee is enough fun for you House!" Cuddy shouted at House's retreating form.

* * *

While the nurses reattached all of the IV's and monitors up to House again, with glares directed at him, House carefully brushed his hand over the cheek where Cameron had kissed him delicately. He sighed and stared up at the ceiling before it finally dawned on him…_**I'm going to be a…**_

"Doctor! I think he's blacked out." Shouted a young nurse, motioning to House's unconscious side.

Cameron carefully made her way in and eyed House, wondering if he saw her and was pretending to sleep or if the exhaustion finally caught up to him. From his deep, slow breathing she decided it was the latter and thanked the nurse.

"God, I can't believe I can tell whether he's sleeping or faking…" Cameron muttered to herself as she plopped in the chair she had occupied earlier.

Wilson barged in carrying a white bag that smelled vaguely of nothing…he tossed it to her carefully and managed to get out, "Sorry I'm late…"

She smiled and waved her hand, "S'okay, thanks for the salad."

"I miss anything?" he asked, catching his breath.

"Why are you panting?" she asked rhetorically, chewing slowly on her salad.

"I was trying to be quick so that I can be here when House wakes up…you know, to lecture him?" he replied, smiling as he bit into his ham and cheese sandwich.

"You missed him then…literally. He actually got up and left to see me…he apologized to me…" Cameron said, mostly to herself when she realized that House had just _apologized_ to her.

"He apologized? Must be the drugs because that's not House."

Cameron shrugged, "Must be."

* * *

TBC...

PLEASE REVIEW! It's my motivation, as is ice cream...I love ice cream... REVIEW PLEASE...

P.S. I cannot wait for new House on tonight!!


	5. Quirky Conversation

House's eyes fluttered open as let out a soft groan, reaching a nimble hand to graze his scruffy cheek and jaw. After a few moments of soothing rubbing, House allowed his arm to drop to his side. The sudden movement caused him to hiss in pain; House reached down and gently touched his abdomen, bringing the sticky fingers up to his face to view the maroon colored blood that coated his fingers.

House realized his unscheduled walk must've ripped his stitches out. House glanced to his side, glad to see Cameron asleep in the chair by his side.

"Cameron…Cameron…Allison…" he called out in his usual gruff tone.

Cameron jerked awake and glanced at House exhaustedly. She immediately saw the bright red blood that contrasted against House's pasty colored pallor. Cameron darted forward, all trace of exhaustion gone from her face.

"Damn it, House." She growled softly as she worked quickly to slow the bleeding and stitch the wound back up.

House shrugged weakly and said, "I couldn't resist freaking you out…"

Cameron let out a frustrated growl directed at House as he grinned lazily. Cameron pulled his hospital gown back down after dabbing it with a cool, wet wag to clean it and watched as House struggled not to show any hint of pain on his noticeably handsome face. Cameron did a small double-take and visibly relaxed as she asked, "Are you in a lot of pain?"

House rolled his eyes, the grin on his face long gone, and exclaimed, "I'm just peachy Cameron... yes I'm in a lot of pain! I was shot _twice_, I _ripped_ my stitches out and I got my employee _pregnant_…so _yes_, I'm in _pain_!"

Cameron flinched visibly as House yelled, moving slowly towards the small metal box that his IV was connected to and opened it up with a small key. She upped the morphine before closing and locking the box, she watched as he clearly relaxed as the pain drifted away.

House opened one eye and watched Cameron wearily, a look of what Cameron could only describe as sadness or regret on his face. She wanted to be upset at him for yelling at her but he _was_ in pain, and the expression on his face confused her.

"What?" she demanded.

"You know, I can't remember for the life of me why you slept with me…I'm such an ass…a love to hate and hate to love ass but still, an ass."

Cameron smiled as she sat down in the seat she had just vacated.

"That's just it I guess…" she claimed.

House grinned lazily, the drugs starting to kick in. He continued watching her through one eye as he asked, "Why _did_ you come over?"

"What are you talking about now, House?"

House sighed, as if talking to her was like talking to a turtle.

"Why did you come over…you know…_then_?"

Cameron shrugged and tugged a discarded jacket she found, in House's office earlier, on and brought her knees up to her chest as she thought hard about why she really went over that day.

"We needed your help." She answered softly.

House scoffed and looked over at her, "That's a lie."

"'Everybody lies.'" She quoted quickly.

House's upper lip twitched as he fought off a small smile.

"So you expect me to believe that the team needed my expertise so badly that they sent you over without a call? Obviously the patient's health wasn't that important, since you wound up spending the night."

Cameron blushed as House watched her with wide blue eyes.

Wilson, who had made a detour to House's hospital room on his way to his office, pressed his ear against the glass door harder, thanking God that the blinds were pulled closed, as he struggled to listen for Cameron's response with bated breath.

"If you're going to do that, you better move over and lemme join you." A female's voice pierced Wilson's good ear.

Wilson jumped a foot in the air and mumbled as Cuddy strode over and grabbed his hand, pulling him to the door so that they could listen together.

"House… I just wanted to see you after you know…you had just been suspended for punching Chase…there had to be a reason so I wanted to know…"

"Of course there was a reason for punching Chase! I'm not the devil…that's Cuddy's job."

Wilson smirked as Cuddy hit his arm on the opposite side of the door. House glanced over at the door with a raised eyebrow before turning to catch what Cameron was saying now.

"Is it so wrong to care for another human being?" she asked.

Suddenly House got quiet and he responded with a practically silent, "No…it's just wrong to care for me."

Cameron bit her bottom lip and dipped her head in shame, so many thoughts rushing through her head…so many feelings towards a man she thought she could only feel pity for.

House's head darted up and he looked over at Cameron quickly as he snapped, "Stop, Cameron. I don't need your damn pity… I don't need _anyone's_ pity. I'm fine, I was fine then too…everything was just fine until-"

"I showed up?"

"The minute you showed up my life was turned upside down."

"That supposed to be a compliment?"

"What do you think?"

They both sat half glaring at each other, unsure whether they were arguing or having a half civil conversation. Suddenly House growled and turned towards the door and shouted, "If you two don't leave now and mind your own business, I'll personally shove my cane up your ass!"

Wilson and Cuddy looked at each other guiltily before calling out, "Sorry," and scurrying off in different directions.

"How did you know?" asked Cameron, half amused.

House shrugged, "I didn't."

"So you just shouted that out randomly?" she asked confused.

"What do you think?" he repeated.

"House…" she groaned, annoyed.

"Cameron…" he mocked.

Cameron stood up and glared at House, clearly upset. House raised both of his eyebrows, waiting for her response.

"Your child and I are going home," she muttered so quietly that House almost didn't catch it.

When she left the room and slammed the sliding glass door, House placed both of his fists against his head and looked up towards the ceiling, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Damn it…" he whispered.

* * *

TBC...

REVIEW. REVIEW, REVIEW!

I WILL MENTION THEIR THOUGHTS AND STUFF ON THE BABY IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, DON'T WORRY!

P.S. I just saw "Maybe Baby" on Youtube, it's a good movie. I didn't name this story after it, and I forgot Laurie was in a movie called "Maybe Baby," so do not get these two mixed up please.

REVIEW!!


	6. The Night

**Minor smut, not much…and it jumps POV a bit so re-read if you're confused or just email me…above all REVIEW!! The song is called "Minnie the Moocher" and it's the Band From TV version, where Hugh Laurie actually sings most of it and plays the keyboard. I know the lyrics are not in order and they are mixed, it's on purpose.**

* * *

Cameron curled herself into a ball on her couch, staring at the dark television screen so intently she was surprised that she didn't burn a hole through it. Cameron, realizing that she was rubbing her stomach in a soothing manner, whispered to it, "I miss the music."

Cameron sat up and pulled the thick wooly blanket around her slender frame tighter as she continued whispering to her stomach, "Your father is a great instrumentalist… his hands are like magic over the piano keys, so quick and at ease…he can even play the guitar…I heard him play it a few times at night when he thinks he's alone in his office…and once I stopped over here, the night you were," Cameron cleared her throat and blushed, "Conceived, he played the piano as he thought I slept…"

"_So now it's we? I do threesomes, but not with men."_

"_Yeah, you do them with hookers." She slapped her hand over her mouth again and groaned._

"_Wow. Have you been drinking? Finally grew a backbone... it's just a little unnerving to see little Allison trying to act tough... entertaining though."_

"_House…" she started._

_"Cameron, what do you want? I'm tired and I could really use a dr-"_

_Cameron suddenly stepped forward and pulled House towards her, his blue eyes widening in surprise and his breath hitching in his throat as she placed a firm but tender kiss on his lips. He dropped his cane in the sudden embrace and struggled to stand as he wrapped his lean arms around her and pulled his head away, breathing heavily._

_"Cameron…?" he questioned quietly in a husky tone, his whiskers scratching her face as he waited for her to say something, anything._

_Cameron responded by gently easing House against the wall and kissing him again, both groaning and tugging at each other's clothing. In the next minute they found themselves in each other's arms, kissing passionately still, in House's bed. House nipped gently at Cameron's lips, threading his skillful, slender fingers through Cameron's thick brown hair._

_"Do you…?"House trailed, so drunk with lust that he hadn't thought of protection as they found themselves under his navy blue covers._

_"No…do you want…?" _

_House grinned and shook his head, "No, I'd like to go all nat-ur-al…do you care…?"_

_"No." she said firmly as she dipped her head down and prodded House's mouth with her tongue, silently begging him to open his mouth._

_House entered her slowly; reaching up to cup her cheek gently to wipe away tears that he had found, _Cameron swiped at her face and realized she was crying. She looked down at her stomach and said, "Sorry for all the sentimental tears. I'm a bit hormonal."

* * *

House continued burning holes into the wall as he struggled to sleep. He could barely see out of the single window in his hospital room, but he knew that the sounds of pitter-pattering weren't the feet of children but rain against his windowpane. House groaned aloud, mostly in anger and frustration at himself as he found himself thinking of the night.

_"Do you…?"House trailed, so drunk with lust that he hadn't thought of protection as they found themselves under his navy blue covers._

_"No…do you want…?" _

_House grinned and shook his head, "No, I'd like to go all nat-ur-al…do you care…?"_

_"No." she said firmly as she dipped her head down and prodded House's mouth with her tongue, silently begging him to open his mouth._

_House entered her slowly; reaching up to cup her cheek gently to wipe away tears that he had found with a slightly perplexed look on his ruggedly handsome face. Cameron grabbed his hand with her and held onto it as he continued to thrust into her slowly. House would later question himself over and over again about that…slowly…slowly…was he screwing her or making love?_

_They had managed to last for several minutes, Cameron having orgasm at least eight times, when House suddenly tensed and let out a lustful, husky groan as he finally gave into the build up and sailed into the land of ecstasy. He managed to roll to Cameron's side and avoid crushing her, only to growl in pain. Cameron, who was prepared to drift off to sleep with high hopes of it being in his arms, glanced up and asked concerned, "Leg?"_

_House nodded with a grimace, rubbing his throbbing right leg with his head tilted back. He reached over to his nightstand and pulled out a prescription pill, Vicodin. He popped two and swallowed them without water before collapsing back onto the bed._

_Cameron sighed and lay back down on her side, already missing the warmth of his gentle but possessive touch. Suddenly a warm snaked over her waist and pulled her across the bed and into his body, melding against his perfectly. House placed his head on her shoulder and fell into a deep sleep, whereas Cameron smiled and snuggled closer before drifting off into a content slumber. The sound of light rain tapping against his window_ caused House to smile softly as he continued to watch the water slide down the pane, remembering the sensuous night with Cameron.

* * *

Cameron stood and paced around her small living area, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders snugly as she suddenly felt ashamed. As if she did something she wasn't supposed to do, and she wasn't talking about sleeping with House, though she shouldn't done it she wasn't ashamed of it. It was looking at his leg; the leg that he was unnoticeably embarrassed of, while he slept that caused her to feel all hot and bothered.

_House jumped and jerked slightly in his sleep. A usually light sleeper, House would have normally woke if something brushed against his body, much less his crippled leg. However, when Cameron awoke in the middle of the night and curiosity won out, she lifted the covers and examined the infamous leg. He was obviously missing a large portion of muscle in the thigh; the scars weren't the worst of it seeing as she had just seen the obvious missing muscle. Cameron pulled away and watched House sleep, the slow steady breaths in and out lulling her back to sleep._

Cameron struggled to remember her thoughts from the night, but was only assaulted of memories of him pulling her close to his body possessively, and his steady breathing. Cameron sat on the couch with a huff and touched her stomach and again as she whispered, "I do not regret you…I do not regret anything from that night. Whether or not he comes around is up to him, but I'm bringing you into this world no matter what little one."

* * *

House yawned and scratched the side of his head as he turned for the umpteenth on his opposite side, struggling to sleep. He decided to hum a melody, hoping that it would lull him to sleep but realized that all that was doing was dragging him back to the familiar night.

_House awoke with a start and glanced down to the warm, soft body that molded against his and recognized that it was Cameron. House moaned when his common sense finally hit him over the head and he realized he had slept with his employee. House manage to slip out of the bed and hobble out into the 'living room.' House immediately hobbled over to the piano, the one way he rid his mind of any thoughts._

_House raised his hands over the keys and allowed his fingers to dance over them as the melody just came out and drifted into his bedroom, the music waking Cameron up. Suddenly House felt the urge to sing so he closed his eyes and sang,_

_"This is the story of Minnie the Moocher…_

_She was a red, hot hoochie-koocher._

_She was the roughest, toughest frail…_

_But Minnie had a heart as big as a whale…_

_Hi-dee Hi, Hi-dee ho…told you before that I love you so!_

_Hi-dee Hi Hi-dee ho, told you before that I love you so!"_

_Before he broke into what would be a beautiful piano solo, had he had a band with him. House rested his forehead against the cool piano keys, confused._

_**Why did I sing? I never sing…**he thought as he racked his brains for a plausible reason as to why he would break out into a catchy song._

_Cameron stood in the doorway, mouth agape. She knew he could play the piano and guitar but that he could sing? She felt like swooning at his feet as he continued his mesmerizing, innocent singing._

_"Minnie messed around with a bloke named, Smokey…_

_She loved him though he was coke-eh…_

_He took her down, to Chinatown…_

_And showed her how to kick the gong around._

_Hi-dee Hi, Hi-dee ho…told you before that I love you so!_

_Hi-dee Hi Hi-dee ho, told you before that I love you so!"_

* * *

TBC...

Will try to mention the baby more with House...if that makes any sense...I was just trying to clear up 'the night.'

By the way, listen to Hugh's song "Minnie The Moocher" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Fantastic song and fantastic singer/keyboard player...it's insane.

REVIEW!!


	7. Don't Hurt Me

Wilson knocked lightly on the sliding glass door that led into House's recovery room, where the latter was shuffling around the room, pushing the IV along with him. Wilson closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall, watching his friend pace about the room in deep thought.

"House?" he called out, a small smile on his boyishly handsome face.

House, either ignoring him or just not hearing him, continued his irregularly pacing back and forth in the small room. Wilson cleared his throat and called out again, "House!"

House stopped and looked around confused his gaze settling on Wilson's relaxed form leaning against the wall. House made his way back to the bed and managed to sit on it without showing much pain on his face, he was very good at concealing pain.

"So…House, what are you going to do when you're discharged from here?"

House cocked his head to the side and pondered his answer to the question to which he answered truthfully, "No idea."

Wilson nodded understandably and waltzed over to House's side, sitting in the chair directly in front of him. Wilson crossed his legs, before connecting his fingertips together and staring hard at House with his brown eyes.

"You have to talk to Cameron." It was more of a demand then a statement.

"And you need to stop wearing ugly ties."

Wilson shook his head and smiled.

"Nice try, but you're not going to change the subject House."

House shrugged and said, "I tried."

"Seriously House, this isn't going away anytime soon…actually never when she gives birth to the poor child."

House raised an eyebrow and asked, "Poor?"

"Well yeah, without a father around to take care of him the kid's gonna be hopeless." Wilson hinted unsubtly.

"So what you're trying to say is raise the kid with Cameron?"

"Precisely."

"I- I can't Wilson. I'd be a crappy father…I can't play catch, or basketball…I can't go on long leisurely strolls through the park…"

"You don't do that now." Wilson pointed out.

"And look how great I turned out." House quipped sarcastically.

Wilson was quiet before he said, "You're not your father House."

House looked away and scowled as Wilson watched him, his head tilted to the side and his brown eyes wide like a curious puppy.

"It has nothing to do with him, it's me. That poor kid won't stand a chance with me…"

"And if you leave him for Cameron to raise you're going to have an extremely nice and caring child…how weird would that be? Greg House's kid nice! Oh, the gossip that will spread around here will be horrible!" mocked Wilson.

House, in spite of himself, smirked and shook his head.

"I guess I can't let _that_ happen." He said.

"Yeah, but don't agree to raise the kid solely for that purpose."

"Wow…I'm going to be a father…" House whispered his blue eyes bright with happiness.

Wilson smiled and nodded to himself, his work was done for now. He stood and clapped House on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion before he said, "Go see Cameron."

* * *

Cameron jerked awake when she heard a measured, but loud pounding on her door. She yawned and stretched, pulling her messy hair up into a crude ponytail as she shuffled towards the insistent noise.

Cameron opened the door slightly to reveal Greg House leaning as casually as he could onto his cane. Cameron smiled briefly and motioned him in, ignoring the way he looked at her…like she was a nice, juicy piece of meat and he was a hungry, lone wolf.

"You look," he cleared his throat, "Nice."

Cameron blushed and thanked him, leading him to her couch and throwing off the pillows and blankets to allow him to sit. He plopped himself down and placed the cane to his side, sprawling his legs as if he dominated the couch.

Cameron perched herself on the corner of the coffee table and watched him as he surveyed her small apartment room. He chewed on his bottom lip and nodded as if he liked what he saw.

"Nice place." He finally said, his steely blue eyes finally resting on her perfectly molded face. He struggled to tear his eyes away when she thanked him again.

"Would you like some water? A beer perhaps?" she asked, getting up.

House shook his head and assured, "I'm fine, thanks."

Cameron nodded and slowly sat down; House and Cameron sat in an uncomfortable silence till he finally said in his usual gruff tone, "This _is_ your couch you know, you're allowed to sit up here. Especially since you're…"

House let his unfinished sentence hang in the air as Cameron stood up and made herself comfortable on the couch next to House, she could feel the heat radiating from his body and it made her shiver.

House cleared his throat before he slowly turned his body and looked her directly in the eyes, his bright blue clashing with her sparkling green. He swallowed his words and tried again, clearly unsure of how to start.

"Cameron…I came here to tell you that, well, I'm willing to support you and the kid in any way."

Cameron smiled and asked, "Really?"

House shrugged and mused, "Why not?"

Cameron grinned and quickly leaned over to place a small kiss on House's stubbly cheek, pulling away quickly and sitting on the couch facing forward. House smiled briefly before turning and facing forward as well.

"You want that beer?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah." He responded quickly as she darted up and out of the room to fetch a beer for House.

She returned with a bottle of beer and handed it to House, sipping from a mug of steaming herbal tea that was in her other hand. House nodded his approval after checking the cup and took a long swing from the bitter tasting liquid in his own hands.

"So…any names picked out? I'm sure you have a long list of girly names."

Cameron smiled and answered, "If it's a boy I'm naming it. If it's a girl you're naming it."

House raised an eyebrow and muttered seriously, "Better be a boy then because I'd wind up naming the girl something like Candy, or Glitter."

Cameron snorted softly which caused House to grin and chuckle as well, shaking his head. It was quiet again as they sipped from their drinks, staring at anything in the room but at each other.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, breaking the silence again.

"I feel like I was shot twice but I'm better, thanks." He joked in his usual manner.

"Do you want a boy? Or a girl? I'm actually hoping for a boy."

"Why, so that I don't wind up naming the girl Bunny?"

Cameron laughed as she responded, "No, because in my mind a little boy would look more like you."

House and Cameron were suddenly quiet again as House cleared his throat and downed the rest of the bottle of alcohol he had before placing it in both of his hands in front of him and staring down at it like a small child.

"If that kid looks anything like me, it'd get beat up every day."

"House…do you think you're unattractive?"

House chuckled and ran a hand through his unruly brown hair, "I'm a Sex God, what are you talking about?"

"House!" Cameron laughed.

House chuckled and glanced back down to the bottle he was playing with in his hands. Cameron turned in her seat and looked at him from over the steaming mug of tea.

"What are we going to do, Greg?"

Had she not said Greg, House would have made another joke or sarcastic remark, but the use of his first name rolling off of _her_ tongue gripped him and caused him to look at her again.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully, yet again. "I really don't Cameron."

"I think we should move in together." She murmured carefully, watching for his reaction carefully.

House tensed up and briefly glanced away. He puffed his cheeks out and exhaled slowly before asking, "Who's moving?"

Cameron bit her bottom and gestured towards herself as she said, "Me into your place."

House scrunched his face up and thought very hard, half of his mind screaming _**'No! No! No! Don't let her in, she'll break your heart and take your trust and throw it out the damn window!'**_ while the other half screamed _**'She's not Stacey, let her move in you narcissistic ass! She's going to have your child!'**_

House frowned and bit his bottom lip hard, barely noticing he broke skin and was bleeding slightly as his mind fought with itself. Finally House squeezed his eyes shut and whispered so softly it was barely heard, "Don't hurt me."

Cameron's studious face went pale and immediately tears welled up in her eyes as she darted forward and gathered House up into a tight hug. He hugged her back despite the fact he was in an uncomfortable position. He felt his arms slipping from her back but he reached up and held her tighter, afraid to let go.

* * *

TBC...

Oh my God thanks so much for the reviews, they really make me smile and feel special. If you guys didn't give me the insperation I wouldn't be updating so quickly. PLEASE CONTINUE REVIEWING!

:D


	8. Fluffy Humor

House bounced his large gray and red tennis ball against the wall of his office casually, his face contorted unpleasantly as he concentrated hard on something in his mind. He caught the large ball in his left hand and rubbed his bad leg with his right, all the while staring at the wall deep in thought.

"Ever think about taking a long, relaxing walk to soothe your leg?" a voice called out from the doorway, causing House to flinch slightly.

"I only like long walks when people that ask me stupid questions take them." He retorted quickly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he gazed up to look at Wilson.

Wilson grinned and put his hands on his hips much to House's dismay, this was Wilson's usual pose and it irked House to no end. House rolled his eyes and bounced the ball against the wall and caught it again.

"So what do you do when you're in pain…besides Vicodin and booze?" asked Wilson, the tender topic seemingly casual talk to the two friends as Wilson took a seat on House's leather sofa.

"Well, I'll tell you what I do when I feeling _down_…I like to whistle."

Wilson raised an eyebrow and smirked, knowing full well he was running into another sarcastic response. However, Wilson took the bait and asked, "Why?"

"It makes the neighbor's dog run to the end of the chain and gag himself."

Despite the whole 'cruelty to animals' thing, Wilson chuckled while House gave him a dimpled smile and bounced and caught the ball once more.

Cuddy barged in suddenly and glared at House.

"House you make my life a living hell, you have _way_ overdue clinic duty!"

House ignored her and looked over at Wilson as he asked, "You know what they say about life?"

Wilson, enjoying himself despite the fact Cuddy was shooting glares his way as well, and asked, "What do they say House?"

"Life is like a roller coaster…and I'm about to throw up."

Cuddy groaned and threw her hands up in the air, as she stormed out, not before shouting over her shoulder, "Clinic, now!"

House raised both of his eyebrows and pulled a face before tossing the ball to Wilson, grabbing his cane that was propped up against his desk and standing up in one almost fluid motion.

"You going to actually do it?" asked Wilson, surprised as he played with the ball in his hands and watched his friend limp towards the door.

"Of course!" House responded, feigning shock at the fake audacity of the question simple question.

"Bullshit." Wilson laughed.

"Bullshit… the art of making the idiotic sound sensible." House stated, trying to look smart as winked and he pushed the glass door open with his backside, causing Wilson to chuckle at his smirking friend before tossing the ball into the air and looking about the now empty room with a heavy sigh.

* * *

Cameron slowly blinked her eyes open, lifting up a delicate hand to shield her face from the rays of sun daring to peek through the blindfolds. After a few moments, Cameron sat up quietly and stretched her arms high above her head, yawning. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she tugged at the loose hair tie in her head, causing the glossy brown hair to tumble put and splay across her shoulders before she scooped it up again and tied it up slackly.

Cameron stood up to take a shower when she suddenly felt dizzy. She darted out of the room and into the bathroom in time to puke her mid-night snack from the night into the off-white toilet. She spit into the toilet and stood on wobbly knees to rinse her mouth out, and brush her teeth.

An hour later, showered and lightly pampered, Cameron emerged from her bedroom and glanced around her small place. She noted the things she immediately didn't want or need, and started to gather those objects and place them into a pile. Afterwards she placed all pictures and personal items in a card box that seemed to have magically appeared by Cameron's side, but in fact there were many boxes strewn about the area, some full others waiting.

Not two hours later Cameron found herself retching again in the bathroom, nearly missing the toilet the second time around. She groaned and stared at herself in the mirror when she stood, noting the dark circles under her eyes and her pale complexion.

There was a hesitant, soft knock on Cameron's front door that caused her to jump and make her way through her once organized apartment, towards it. She opened it slowly, revealing House yet again, though this time he seemed nervous and confused.

"House? Come on in." she greeted him as he limped in slowly.

House surveyed the room, his nervousness gone, and pursed his lips.

"Nice place." He said finally, sarcasm dripping with every word as he shoved a few boxes off the couch and made himself comfortable.

Cameron sighed and shut the door before making her way towards House and facing him. He avoided her eyes but nevertheless looked at her with his head cocked to the side in a cute, innocent way that caused her to grin at him like a lovesick high school girl. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What?"

"You're gorgeous." She stated boldly.

House, slightly taken aback by her sudden valor, grinned and responded with a "Yeah well you're _mad _sexy…so what's new?"

Cameron laughed at his 'poser' slang before plopping down beside him on the couch and answering, "I'm packing."

House nodded, glad she didn't continue, as he fiddled with his cane and avoided her gaze yet again. Cameron, overtaken by a sudden boldness yet again, leaned forward and gently cupped House's face in her hand and turned his head to face her. He looked down at first then finally looked her in the eyes.

"You look sick…" he whispered, his voice rough from years of hard drinking.

"You look like you need a kiss." She whispered back before she leaned forward and kissed him full on the mouth, smiling when she felt his soft moan rumble through his lean body.

"We can't…I wouldn't want the kid thinking I'm trying to kill him in the womb…now _that_ would be fun to talk about in therapy…" House kidded, although he made no effort to pull away from Cameron's persistent kisses.

"House…?"

"Yeah…?"

Cameron stopped kissing him and ignored the puppy dog look he gave her as she leaned forward and nibbled his ear before whispering, "Shut. Up."

House grinned and nodded, allowing Cameron to control today's festivities.

* * *

TBC...

REVIEW! Just thought I'd add some fluff and humor.

REVIEW!


	9. Pain

Cameron rested her head on House's chest, his arm wrapped around her naked body protectively while he slept, as she watched his face twitch and eyes flutter while he dreamt on. Cameron smiled and sighed, snuggling closer to his warm body.

Cameron poised a finger above House's bare chest and began to trace random patterns, memorizing the layout of every subtly toned muscle. House shifted slightly but continued to sleep. Cameron gently grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach, feeling more secure and firmly believing the baby would too, with his shielding hand guarding it.

House scrunched his face up before opening one eye and staring at Cameron sleepily, his pursed pink lips clashing with his bright sapphire…eye. Cameron smiled up at him and whispered, "Morning."

House "Hmmped" before closing his eye and resting for a moment. Cameron started to slide from underneath his arm, but he tensed and pulled her back down gently. She laughed and kissed him on the lips, ignoring the fact that his eyes were still tightly shut. House grinned and started to sit up somewhat, hissing to himself in pain.

"So, are we going to finish packing?" Cameron asked.

House groaned and asked rhetorically, "Can we talk about that later?"

Cameron frowned and grasped the thin sheet that wrapped around her protruding bosom as she sat up. She wriggled under his arm before he rolled his eyes and allowed her to sit up. House pressed his back against the cool, wood headboard and was joined by Cameron close to his side.

"Why?" she demanded, watching him closely as he stared straight ahead, blinking his eyes rapidly as he struggled to fully awaken.

House sighed and scraped his musician fingers over his three-day stubble, jutting his jaw out and shrugging somewhat lopsidedly. Cameron ignored the gesture and demanded once more, "Why, House? Is it because it's early in the morning or is it because you don't want to think about it _ever_?"

"Look, Cameron. I'm not going to pretend everything is okay, I never do. We're having a kid together, we work together, and we slept together…we're moving _in_ together…it's too much for me to handle, and you know me... I'm a narcissistic, sarcastic ass who deflects pain and other feelings with witty comments."

Cameron felt her anger subsiding as she realized that he was right, for her this was big…but he was House…this was _huge_ for him. She nodded slowly and apologized quietly, ignoring his distasteful frown at her apology. House was never one for apologizing, whether it be receiving or giving.

House sucked his teeth and threw the thin baby blue sheet off his body and flung his legs over the side of the bed. Cameron smiled when she saw he had snuck off and put black boxer-briefs during the night, but immediately frowned when she realized he was rubbing his thigh roughly.

"House?"

House's head jerked up when he heard her voice, but he ignored it as he struggled to stand and hobble over to his cane, leaning against the wall. He picked up the cane and continued his unsteady gait towards the bathroom, wishing Cameron would stop burning her concerned eyes into his bareback.

"Your concern is burning." He threw over his shoulder as he closed the bathroom door behind himself. He quickly sat on the edge of the toilet and bit his lip hard, the pain in his thigh throbbing throughout his entire being as he clutched the toilet tightly.

After the pain subsided somewhat, House managed to stand up and grab the bottle of pills he had cleverly placed on the sink before the night's "festivities." He popped the top off and tapped two Vicodin into his sweaty palm, swallowing them without water almost as soon as they fell into his trembling outstretched hand.

House squeezed his eyes shut and placed both of his hands on the sink, steadying himself before he glanced into the mirror.

"Must've been the _wild_ sex…not easy on the leg…" he muttered to himself, eventually he allowed himself a small smile when he noted that he was even sarcastic with himself.

There was a hesitant knock on the bathroom door that jarred House out of his momentary dazed stupor. He placed the pills back onto the sink and opened the bathroom door a crack, leaning against the wall for support as he waited for the painkiller started to set in.

"Can't you women allow the men at least five _minutes_ before you take over?" he demanded in his usual witty tone.

Cameron shrugged, and shook her head before nudging the door open with her shoulder. House rolled his eyes and snatched his cane up, hobbling out of the bathroom muttering, "Fine."

* * *

House lay on his sofa, his legs crossed and a container of red Jello in his hand. He licked the plastic spoon as he continued watching Wilson and Cameron carry in box after box of Cameron's possessions.

Wilson placed another heavy box on House's piano bench and loosened his tie, his face flushed.

"You could try helping you know." Wilson claimed as he shuffled over to House.

House continued licking his spoon casually before motioned towards his leg and said, "Bum leg, remember?"

"Who could forget?" muttered Wilson as he tapped House's good leg, the latter rolling his eyes but lifting is legs and swinging them over the couches edge nevertheless.

"She's pregnant House, she shouldn't lifting heavy objects."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah she's preggo, I get it already. Anyway, if _you_ don't want her lifting heavy objects, save me the lecture and help her yourself."

Wilson sighed and shook his head, standing up to continue helping Cameron bring in the boxes. House's legs immediately went back up to the couch as soon as Wilson stood.

He looked around his apartment and growled to himself; boxes were _everywhere_. House never considered himself a neat man, but he sure as hell wasn't a slob either. House took a deep breath and let it out slowly before deciding to place the spoon and empty Jello container on the coffee table before him.

House stood and limped towards the nearest clutter of boxes without his cane, ignoring the dull throbbing pain in his thigh. He grabbed a box and hobbled with it in his hands to the couch. He breathed slowly before he opened the box to reveal many medical books. He pulled them out one by one, taking as many as he could he limped towards his expansive bookshelf and placed them on there carefully.

Wilson and Cameron came in laughing, both carrying a large cardboard box. Wilson placed his box on the couch with a sigh of relief, sitting next to it exhaustedly.

"Last ones." He stated as Cameron placed hers on the floor.

House ignored Wilson as he continued placing large book after large book on the ever-diminishing space on the bookshelf. Cameron watched House with a wary eye, unsure how he was taking all the boxes that littered his small apartment. House finished unpacking the one box and hobbled over to another box labeled "Personal."

Cameron stood up quickly and placed a hand on House's forearm. He looked up quickly, his clear blue eyes searching her hazel ones.

"It's personal."

"Yeah, I got that from the label." House scoffed in his usual sarcastic tone, gesturing towards the girly writing on the box.

"Don't House, please." She murmured, altering her eyes from his piercing gaze.

Wilson cleared his throat and stood from the couch, checking his silver Rolex unsubtly as he claimed in an unnecessarily loud voice, "Look at the time, gotta go check on some patients at the hospital."

"Wouldn't want those cancer patients roaming the halls and making people care!" mocked House.

Wilson spread his hands out and mocked back, "Good God, I have to stop the people from caring!"

House watched Wilson leave with an expression Cameron could only assume was sadness mixed in with amusement. House returned his steady gaze to the shifty brunette, trying to think of a way to avoid a long story full of tears that explained why she didn't want him opening the box.

House threw his hands up dramatically before he limped over to the couch, his uneven gait even more pronounced without his cane. He felt a sudden stabbing pain in his thigh, causing him to stumble forward and onto the couch.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked, eyes wide with concern.

House suddenly felt sick…_**she's staying here. That means she would see me before and after work, see me pacing in the morning to relieve the pain…see me drinking whiskey, gin and whatever alcohol to drown my stupid, stupid misery…**_

"House!" Cameron cut in suddenly.

"What!" he snapped, his blue eyes blaring pain as they stood out against his paling skin.

"Do you need your Vicodin? I haven't seen you take any in two hours. Where is it?"

House bit his bottom lip before he motioned towards his bathroom down the hall.

"Cabinet." He quipped before another round of pain overtook him.

Cameron darted down the hall and back, Vicodin and a glass of water in her hands. House swallowed the Vicodin eagerly without so much as glancing at the water Cameron was holding.

After a few minutes Cameron turned to return the bottle after placing the full glass of water on the coffee table, but House's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist gently. He cocked his head to the side and whispered, although it sounded more like a mutter "Stay…please?"

Cameron, looking all choked up, nodded before she removed the box off the couch and sat next to him. She was surprised when his arm found itself around her neck and pulled her closer to his body in a somewhat possessive yet tenderly way. Cameron smiled and rested her head on House's chest, listening to his heart pound steadily.

Cameron waited for anything, for him to talk or even herself, but forgot what exactly it was when House's fingers splayed themselves in her thick dark hair.

"Tell anyone…" he began in his rough voice.

"And I'm dead right?"

"No of course not…the baby couldn't _possibly_ survive then, and you call yourself a doctor." House joked in his usual manner.

"Then?"  
"I'd _really_ name the kid Bunny House."

Cameron laughed softly before it dawned on her.

"Are we using your last name?"

House let out the breath he was holding the minute he slipped up. Eventually he said, "I was hoping too, but if it's a problem…"

"No, no! Of course not! It's fine, really."

"Good." He stated lamely, grimacing at how stupid he probably sounded to her.

Cameron hummed to herself, and after a few moments of silence she heard a soft rumbling. She looked up and realized House had fallen asleep, his arm wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

* * *

TBC...

Sorry for the wait, trying to catch up in school and other fanfics. Post more of this and the others soon!!

REVIEW!!


	10. Piano Man

_A resounding crack pierced the still air…followed by another as House suddenly jerked backwards, his mind spinning in actual fear unbeknownst to his employees as he fell ever so slowly it was mind numbing._

Cameron jerked awake on House's couch, immediately noting that the man was no longer under her but sitting at his piano, skimming his fingers over the keys deep in thought.She didn't move in hopes that he would play something, Cameron knew that he had magical hands on and off the piano…

House touched a few keys on the large, black instrument, pondering whether or not he should chance waking Cameron up or not. He decided to play a few riffs up and down the polished keys; his eyes found themselves cloaked in darkness when his lids slid over them, the music floating through the quiet night air. Cameron held still, willing House to continue.

House's lips screwed up into a rueful smile, eyes still shut, when he found himself playing the tune for "Happy Birthday" on the piano…a painfully long, lonesome, sad rendition of the normally happy song. When at last House found himself ending the song, he glanced over to the shaking form of Cameron, lying on his couch in what he had presumed was sleep.

"Cameron, stop crying." He demanded, his voice matching the despair of the lingering song.

"I'm sorry, House." Cameron murmured as she sat up from the couch.

"I know." He stated.

"I forgot…I completely forgot it was you-"

"Stop. I know." He interrupted, raising a hand in a gesture of silence.

Cameron nodded, her shiny, dark hair framing her pink tinged face before she brushed it behind her ear with a swift whisk of her finger. House sighed and glanced at his watch, "It's well past two…you should go back to bed."

"You mean 'we' should go back to bed…"

House cleared his throat, "I can't sleep right now."

"Is it me?" she asked, sitting up straighter.

"It's my chest…I was shot you know." He mildly joked, a small smile appearing on his rugged face.

"Right…well, okay. Goodnight, House."

"Night Cameron."

House watched as Cameron repositioned herself on the couch, his face contorted into one of amusement and slight confusion. He raised a brow and called out, "You can have the bed you know."

Cameron sat up again and asked, "Are you-"

"You ask way too many questions. Take the damn bed, Cameron. Goodnight."

Cameron blushed again before standing up and making her way down the dark hallway towards House's bedroom. She snuggled underneath his covers, lifting one up to her nose to breathe his scent in…manly, clean, simple, House.

* * *

TBC...

Sorry it's a bit short...trying to study for finals on Fri. and Mon.

Hopefully I can update soon!


	11. Happy Birthday

House awoke with a small moan of pain; his neck was on fire, his leg was throbbing and his chest felt like someone had shot him…he was on the couch with an empty glass of, what House assumed was scotch by the very familiar smell, clutched tightly in his right hand.

House lie on the couch, allowing the pain to throb over his entire being slowly with his eyes squeezed shut as he realized today was still his birthday and Cameron knew. House let out a barely audible groan when he realized _Cameron_ knew it was his birthday and scrunched up his face in an unpleasant manner.

"Perfect…" he griped as he opened his eyes and tried to blink away the few daring rays of sun that bravely peeked through his blinds, causing him to raise a hand to shield his bright blue orbs.

"What is?" Cameron called out, her petite body leaning against House's bedroom doorframe.

House, facing the opposite direction of where the soft voice was coming from, sat up as he said, "The, uh, rays are sun are perfect."

"Uh huh."

House's back was still turned to her, so he shifted on the couch till he was comfortable and able to see her as well. He immediately noted she helped herself to one of his shirts, which caused him to show her a brief fleeting smile.

"What?" she asked, looking down at herself, "Is there something wrong?"

"That's my favorite shirt." He pointed out, a lie of course but maybe she was as naïve as he thought she was.

She gave him a small smile and shook her head slowly, her brown hair threatening to tumble from the loose ponytail she threw it up in. Wisps of it framed her attractive visage, causing House to shudder unnoticed.

"I happen to know your favorite shirt is _not_ this one." She claimed, pulling the neck of the shirt away from herself, pinching it between two fingers.

"Yeah, well I like that shirt too." He retorted, rubbing his thigh as he reached for his Vicodin bottle on the coffee table.

"Of course." She stated simply, humor entwined around each word.

House, having already swallowed two Vicodin without water, popped the cap back onto the bottle and placed it carefully onto the coffee table. He leaned back into the couch and sighed, allowing the pain to ebb away as the painkillers fought it off.

"What do you want to do today?" Cameron asked, interrupting House's daydreams.

"Sleep?" he offered, rubbing his scruffy cheek with the palm of his hand.

"You do that too much, you need some fun in your life." She disclosed, flocking over to where House was sitting, legs sprawled, head resting back and eyes closed.

"I used to have fun _every_ night but you know…" he trailed off, a hint of a smile on his face.

"How about some _free_ fun?" she offered slyly, causing him to jump when he realized she had moved in front of him.

"Such as?" he asked, raising an eyebrow when Cameron leaned forward and perched herself onto his lap, taking care not to disturb his bad leg.

"This."

"Uh huh…" he managed to get out, well aware that Allison Cameron was straddling him right now without any drinks or drugs in her.

Cameron leaned forward and kissed House passionately, not a hard task to accomplish when he complied easily. When they broke, both panting slightly, she smiled and said, "Happy birthday, House," before continuing their fervent kissing.

* * *

House's couch wasn't very big to begin with, add a six foot two and a half man and a moderately pregnant woman and you're bound to have someone fall off. That someone was none other than House himself, although he wasn't even the one who was slipping off.

"Cameron, be careful." He warned, regarding Cameron with a sleepy blue eye.

House was lying on his back; Cameron snuggled against him with a large comforter keeping them warm. However, someone was bound to fall of the couch eventually and the way Cameron slept restlessly she started to slip of backwards.

House's hands shot out and grabbed her, although he was extremely tuckered out he managed to keep her on the edge with his strong grip. His hands eased their way to her waist, pulling her up and over House's frame as he went the opposite direction in one fluid movement, causing the inevitable to happen. House landed on the floor with a grunt, glad he landed on the opposite side of his bad leg.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked, panicked and heart racing.

"Peachy." House snipped, pushing himself up onto his elbows.

Cameron couldn't stifle her giggles as she looked over at the flushed faced House. House looked askance at her, thankful that he had managed to fall with the thick brown comforter wrapped around his bare lower half.

"Seriously though, are you alright." She asked, concern flitting over her pretty face once more... her pink cheeks telltale signs of what had been going on not moments before.

House sighed, and cocked an eyebrow at her, his mouth turning up into a wry grin as he nodded. He pulled himself into a sitting position and looked about the room as if he didn't know how he got there.

"You gonna sit there and laugh at me like a little schoolgirl or are you going to help me up?" he asked, eyeing her daringly.

"I think I'm going back to bed, till someone learns his manners." She teased, enjoying his distaste.

"So, I have to beg? I'm a cripple, I should have things handed to me when I want them." He claimed, although a smile could be seen on his face.

Cameron scrunched her nose up and said, "You're still human, and so you still need to use manners like everyone else."

"I'm _not_ like everyone else, that's my point."

"Don't we all know it?" Cameron grumbled.

"What was that?" House demanded, edging towards the couch so that he could rest his back against it.

"I said, 'say please or baby House and I will never help you up'."

House laughed aloud at that one, not used to the playful, teasing Cameron.

"Please, happy?" he asked, throwing his hands up in the air.

Cameron nodded and ambled off the couch, pulling House up when they both counted to three. House hobbled on one leg, using Cameron as support before he managed to stand up on his own.

"Thanks." He muttered, falling down onto the couch with a grunt, pulling the comforter over his body tighter.

House looked down at his chest, cocking his head at the sight of the small, circular scars. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he continued to look at his bare chest. Cameron watched him the whole while, tugging on his shirt she wore before the whole birthday present ordeal.

* * *

TBC...

I'm going to try and speed things up, we all love Ham moments but I'm sure we'd like to get on with it...plus I'm trying to think of a way to fast forward time and include the baby some more.

REVIEW!


	12. Five Months Later

**(6 months pregnant)**

* * *

"Oh for God's sake, please tell me that was there before and I only just missed it."

"What are you talking about?"

"That thing coming from your stomach, is that…are you _pregnant_?"

"House, you're _not_ very funny you know."

"I was only joking." House smirked as he sat next to the heavily pregnant looking Cameron on the couch, propping his feet up causally on the coffee table as he took a sip from the bottle of beer he had just retrieved and watched the television set with a renewed vigor.

Cameron looked at House from the corner of her eye, smiling when she saw that House had managed to sneak his arm around her slender shoulders and pull her close to his body. She shook her head slowly; he did those things without saying anything, for if he did it would get awkward quick. House and Cameron have fell into a comfortable stage in their, relationship?

"Whadda you smirking at?" House asked without turning to look at her.

"You and your not so funny sense of humor."

"Ha ha, you're _hilarious_." He barked sarcastically, although the sting of the words were not there when he gave her a cute grin.

"Don't I know it." She quipped, smiling when House shook his head slowly, pursing his lips as he tried to watch the television again.

"You hungry?" he asked fifteen minutes later when the commercials came on, standing up and hobbling towards the kitchen without his cane.

"No, but I should eat anyway for the baby."

"Yeah, the kid's gotta eat." House joked as he came back with a salad container and handed it to her carefully.

"Thank you." She murmured, he tilted his head down and nodded once quickly before entering the kitchen once more.

"Hey, House? Do you think I can stop scrubbing the floor for five minutes and eat something?" a voice called from the bathroom.

"It's your life…but I wish you let us have it!" House called back, ignoring the laughter from Cameron as Wilson emerged from the bathroom, his sleeves rolled up and yellow rubber gloves attached to each hand.

"That wasn't a very nice way to treat your babysitter." Wilson exclaimed as he swiped at the sweat that gathered at his brow, although he was smiling himself.

"Wilson, the baby wasn't even born yet… not even for another three months are so. What are you doing here letting House treat you like that?" Cameron asked as she munched on the salad.

"Yeah, Wilson? What's _wrong_ with you?" House pitched in, his tall lean frame leaning in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Well, with you being heavily pregnant and House being _heavily_ lazy, I thought I could help out." Wilson explained, taking a beer that House held out to him after he peeled the gloves off and tossed them aside, as he made his way over to the couch and plopped himself down beside Cameron.

"Then thank you, Wilson." Cameron said with a smile.

The phone rang and House groaned, he knew who it was. He hobbled over to pick it up, put on his best straight face and listened to the man on the other line. House nodded and answered the man's small questions until he finally found his chance to break in with, "Let me tell _you_ something sir, when you find yourself under a large car going _towards_ the white light, the police will not be filing that as an accident of you continue to call me every night. Do you not get it? I don't want to buy anything from you! So stop calling me!"

Wilson nearly choked on his beer as he glanced over to gauge Cameron's reaction, but she shrugged and whispered, "Same telemarketer keeps calling every night wondering if we would like to buy some stuff from his company."

House hung up the phone and returned to leaning against the doorframe, sipping at his beer nonchalantly. Wilson looked at him with his big brown eyes and open mouth, waiting for House to say something, anything.

House shrugged and said, "Look him up in the dictionary under the word 'Stupid.'" It says 'see him,'" he motioned towards the phone as he said this, causing Cameron to laugh again.

"Wow, I can't believe you put up with this." Wilson said in awe.

"You did."

"For like, two weeks!" he scoffed.

"Pansy. He couldn't take me pranks in manly stride." House stated.

"I got you back though." Wilson quipped.

"_That_ was funny." House said with a laugh, "I was proud of you, Jimmy."

"It felt good," he returned, laughing as well before he took another swing from the bottle of beer he clutched in his right hand.

"You're a terrible influence on him, House." Cameron stated, laughing along with the men.

"God, I wonder how that _poor_ baby is going to turn out…"

"Shut up! I'm caring and loving enough for the baby to be nice Wilson."

"Poor baby…" House echoed, causing the other two to laugh again.

* * *

Cameron, lying on her side because she had some weird nagging fear she would crush the baby somehow if she lay any other way, watched House's ruggedly attractive face twitch as he dreamt in his deep slumber, the sound of soft snoring filling the near silent room.

She felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips, House was actually inhabitable when you stay with him for a long while, but of course it's an added bonus if you were unexpectedly pregnant with his child. Cameron let out a soft laugh, reaching out and running a hand through his thick, graying brown hair tenderly as she dwelled on the past few months she had stayed here.

At first House was House, not that he wasn't now, but now he was more gentle, he was becoming soft…however, it was only when it came to Cameron and their "love child," because House was definitely still House with other people. Even more so when they questioned his tenderness with Cameron, then that really pissed him off.

Cameron felt the familiar tugging smile when she recalled a month back, all she caught was the flying fist as it slammed into another man's jaw while she was rounding the corner of the isle at the local grocery mart, the other man being someone they knew at the hospital…House _really_ disliked it when people started to question his personality around the pregnant Cameron.

_"You should become pregnant more often…" Cuddy had once disclosed to Cameron with a wan smile, before clicking down the hall quickly as House came out of his office to take Cameron home for lunch._

Cameron laughed once more, jumping when House's gruff voice floated in the air, "What are you giggling about?"

Cameron's green eyes darted to look at his, the bright blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight that managed to slip between the cracks of the blinds as they studied her with slight amusement, slight annoyance at having been disturbed.

"Just dwelling on the past," she whispered in the near dark, her eyes never leaving his as hers darting between the two bluest eyes she'd ever seen.

"Hmmm, ever hear about living in the present? The past is never good to dwell in." he murmured, his gruff voice soothing to her ears.

"Just yours, House." She retorted, the sting of the words having little effect on House like she knew they would, the man was tough.

"Touché," he muttered before turning his head to face the wall, "Go to sleep please, Lord knows you need your beauty sleep."

"Lord knows, you need it too." She grumbled, closing her eyes nevertheless and finding herself into a dark abyss as sleep overtook her quickly.

House turned his head to face her once more, smiling as he watched her sleep for a few moments before closing his own eyes and allowing himself to slip into the same darkness Cameron had met.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Now that I think about it, I really wish House had a kid on the show...that would be so freakin' awesome.**

**I'm taking a poll, girl or boy...I'd prefer boy since I'm sorta 'annoyed' with all the Daughter/House fics but it's up to you guys/gals. So REVIEW and tell me Boy or Girl before I post again, whichever gender has the most is the one the kid is going to be.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! NEED SOME FEEDBACK! REVIEW!**

* * *


	13. Baby Blue Eyes

**A/N: Just so you know, she is no longer five months pregnant, okay? She's more like 8+.**

* * *

"How is she? Is she okay?" House asked Wilson, his voice low as he placed a hand in the doorway of Cameron's private room to steady himself.

"She's fine, her water broke. Are _you_ okay?" Wilson asked as he stood up from the chair he was resting in and made his way to exhausted looking friend.

"I'm not the one having a baby am I?" House retorted as he stepped into the room and made his way to Cameron's bedside, where she was staring at the ceiling, her face pale and her jaw clenched in pain.

"Are you okay?" he asked her softly in his gruff tone.

"No, I'm in a lot of pain…" she growled, sweat running down her face like little rivers.

"Right. I'll get he nurse and we can get the show on the road." Wilson exclaimed, running out of the room quickly.

Suddenly Cameron bit back a yell as another wave of contractions hit her, and another. House watched her, his head cocked to the side in interest, as she writhed in pain on the bed. She glared at him with her tear filled green eyes before more contractions came and went, her stifled screams becoming less stifled.

"This is so cool…" House murmured, before his blue eyes went wide when Cameron grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him close to the bed.

"I _swear_ to God if that nurse isn't her in five minu-"

"She's here!" Wilson interrupted, coming to halt when he saw House's surprised face, his shirt in Cameron's iron grip.

House took a step back, his grip on his cane tightening as he furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips in Cameron's direction. He glanced at Wilson and took a few more steps back, causing Wilson to crack a smile.

"Let's go, we'll be back later when you're ready…" House growled, his eyes never meeting Wilson's.

Wilson, scoffing, shrugged apologetically at Cameron before taking off after House. He grabbed his shoulder and whirled House around to face him.

"House, she needs all the support she can get in there." He stated.

"That nurse seemed friendly enough." Muttered House.

"What the hell is your problem? So she got in your face, so what?"

"It's not that…I mean she's really having my kid now, isn't she? It's actually happening and I'm," House lowered his voice even more, looking anywhere but at Wilson, "I'm scared shitless."

Wilson chuckled and patted House on the back, as he said, "Aren't we all? Let's go, she needs you."

House nodded and made his way back towards Cameron's room, Wilson right behind him the whole way to prevent House from turning back.

* * *

"How are they, are they okay?" demanded Cuddy, her heels clicking loudly down the hallway as she stepped off the elevator and mad her way quickly to Wilson's side, who was standing in the hallway with a look of pure exhaustion on his boyish face.

"They're fine…all three of them." Wilson whispered, giving Cuddy a sideways smile as she took her place beside him, trying to move the blinds with their minds.

"A boy or girl? I hope it's a girl; House needs more women in his sad excuse of a life…" muttered Cuddy, nudging Wilson.

"I don't know yet, they haven't come out." Wilson responded, staring at the glass doors with glassy eyes.

"You need to get some sleep Wilson, you look like crap."

"I know."

* * *

_"House! House! Can I please see my child now?" demanded Cameron, breathless from the whole ordeal as she watched House cradling the sobbing baby in his arms._

_House looked at her and down at the baby again, suddenly the baby's crying stopped as they stared at each other…blue eyes clashing with blue eyes, both wide with curiosity. House cocked his head to the side once again, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he gently handed the baby to Cameron._

_"Welcome to the world, little one…" she murmured, reluctantly allowing a nurse to take the baby away momentarily to be cleaned away._

_House sat on the chair next to Cameron's bedside, staring after the nurse wide eyed. He glanced at Cameron and shook his head, "What?"_

_"You, what's wrong?" she asked quietly._

_"Nothing, the baby just got blood all over my favorite hospital gown is all." He muttered, waving a hand over the bloodied gown with a hint of a smile on his ruggedly handsome face._

_A smile appeared on her exhausted pallor, she sighed and shook her head, closing her eyes. House's lips twisted themselves in a crooked grin, his blue eyes twinkling with fatherly pride. He stood and limped towards the sliding glass doors_, opening them a crack to motion to the two people standing outside.

"Is it a boy or girl? Wilson and I have a bet going on." Demanded Cuddy immediately as soon as she entered.

"Nicholas Tobias House. I'm calling him Toby…" Cameron said, glowing.

"Doesn't Tobias mean 'God is Good'?" Cuddy asked, frowning as she handed Wilson a fifty-dollar bill.

"That's why she chose it, to spite me." House growled as he limped his way over to the bed once again.

Wilson started to walk over as well, when he suddenly stopped and grinned. Cuddy, Cameron and House looked at him confused before Wilson pointed accusingly at House and said, "That's you isn't it? That smell."  
House laughed and pointed at Cameron, "She took a dump while giving birth to a baby, that's all her."

"House!" Cameron shouted, embarrassed.

"No, not _that_. You reek of, of… fatherly pride." Wilson claimed, a look of triumph on his boyishly handsome face.

House turned a pink shade before he shook his head and growled, "I don't smell anything but the aftermath of a disgusting, traumatizing birth."

Cuddy playfully hit House before she walked over and gave Cameron a big hug, "Congratulations, honey. Foreman and Chase are on their way to see you too."

Wilson, ignoring the glare from House, hugged Cameron as well.

"Good luck with Toby, he's gonna be a little hellion." Wilson whispered in her ear, smiling when she laughed.

"Alrighty, he's little Nicholas Tobias House." Exclaimed the nurse as she returned with the infant wrapped up in a blue, soft blanket.

Cameron cradled the sleepy baby, amazed at the shade of blue his eyes were. They were so bright and full of so much potential she felt her heart melting. She looked up to see House watching her, and her heart skipped a beat when she looked into the identical blue orbs. They shared a silent communication while the other two watched in amazement. Cuddy bent over and examined the infant.

"He's perfect." She whispered to Cameron, tears in her eyes, "Even if he's a little replica of House."

Cameron smiled, looking once more at Tobias with her loving green eyes. Not five minutes later, Foreman, Chase and many others came in and out to see the famous Gregory House's baby. All cooing and noting how adorable he was, all astonished at his bright, blue intellectual eyes.

"Baby Blue Eyes..." she whispered, just for the hell of it.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Sorry Dr.AllieCameron, as much as I would like to keep everyone happy I know I couldn't. I took the poll and everyone wanted a boy, hopefully they find the name decent enough. Nicholas for worldShifter and Tobias because it means "God is Good."**

**PLEASE REVIEW!! I'm going to end it soon, but I may do a sequel mainly on how House feels about being a father, how he interacts with his son, so on and so forth. Review, tell me what you think and feel free to share any ideas for the sequel if you have any!**

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


	14. Home

**Thanks N02E08K89, you know what I'm talking about (just in case I mean the Cuddy/House/Tobias bit).**

* * *

House, after a few frustrating minutes of battling with his key and doorknob, finally managed to throw the door open and allow Cameron, carrying a sleepy eyed Toby, to enter before him. House closed the door behind them, leaning his cane against the couch as he watched Cameron give Toby a tour of his home. House closed his eyes and sighed, _**it's**_ _**their home…our home.**_

House shook his head and glanced with a mournful, puppy dog look where his baby grand piano had once been, now replaced with a large wooden baby crib, toys and things that were necessary for caring after an infant child all bunched around it. The matching changing table was pressed up against the wall where the gleaming guitars once stood, seemingly mocking House because he had to move all of his beloved instruments to a different location, a cold and dark storage room that could damage his babies.

"Look, Toby, this is your crib. One day you'll be a big boy and have your own little bed like the grown ups." Cameron cooed, ignoring House's roll of his eyes.

"He's like, three _days_ old, Cameron. He has no idea what you're saying."

"I beg to differ, he's listening to every word I'm saying."

"No, that's called selective hearing."

"Here, hold him while I change out of this shirt, he puked on it." She handed Toby to House, who stood cradling the baby with a look of annoyance on his face.

"She's becoming a bitch. You know that? More and more bossy…oh _God_, she's becoming Cuddy!" House kidded to Toby, who watched him with two bright blue eyes, as House limped over to the couch and took a seat.

House glanced at where Cameron had took off, before tilting his head and whispering, "How about some man talk before the Cuddy-drone comes back?"

The baby gurgled before giving House a small smile, his eyes twinkling that familiar twinkle…House's twinkle. House grinned, unaware that Cameron was watching him interact with Toby.

"Okay, let's talk about…music. Here's what you can listen too, Mick Jagger, Led Zeppelin, absolutely no country crap or punk rap junk. I have no idea in hell what is so appealing about that screamo music, so let's just say none of that either, okay?"

"For Pete's sake, House, he's like three days old…he has no idea what you're saying." Cameron chimed in, mocking House cheerfully.

House flinched, before scowling and turning his blues on her, "Who's Pete? Should you be telling us something?"

"Oh, Pete is this _hot_, young piece of ass I have on the side."

House bit back his laugh and shook his head, lifting Toby up towards his mother, "Here, he's yours for now."

"Oh, and where are you going?" Cameron asked, cradling Toby once more, watching House leap up and limp towards his bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower…and then get ready to sleep like most people do at this time of night you silly vampire you."

Cameron stuck her tongue out at his retreating back before placing a kiss on Tobias's button nose and placing him in the crib. She made herself comfortable on the couch with a well-written book titled, The Gun Seller, then she proceeded to read through it, only glancing up to see House appearing fifteen minutes later with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Whadda you reading?" he demanded, pushing the book away from his body towards hers so that it would tilt backwards and he could see the cover of it.

"A book, go get dressed and get to bed you old fart." She stated smugly.

Tobias started crying then, thrashing in his crib. Cameron looked at House pleadingly, exhaustion evident on her face. House shrugged and limped as fast as he could towards his bedroom calling over his shoulder, "Doing what you told me to do!"

"You're an ass!" she shouted before tossing the book on the coffee table and leaping up to tend to her infant son.

"And?" he called back, his voice muffled by the slightly closed door to his bedroom down the hall.

"And what? I still think you're an ass!" she shouted, picking up Tobias and swinging him back and forth gently in order to soothe him.

"Shouting at me isn't going to make him cry any less, or didn't they teach you that at Maternal Instinct School." House pointed out, causing Cameron to jump when she noted how close he really was to her.

"Bite me." She growled, turning her back towards him and trying to ignore the scent of his wafting shampoo or how the water from his damp hair dripped down his forehead in tiny little rivers.

"_Gladly_." He whispered huskily, clearly amused at her antics, gently nipping her earlobe as he wrapped his toned arms around her stomach tenderly all the while tugging her close to his warm body.

"I'm carrying a child, you idiot."

"Hormones say _what_ now?" he bit back, into her ear.

"House, really, right now isn't the time." She claimed, pushing herself away from him carefully as she looked down at the now calm infant fighting to stay awake.

"Put the kid in the crib and come to bed, Cameron."

Cameron raised an eyebrow at his direction, noting that he barely dried off from the way his shirt was sticking to his abdomen; she smirked and placed Toby back in the crib. Turning on the monitor she turned nodded, "Fine, bed time."

House grinned and threw Toby one last look, his eyes full of that fatherly pride.

* * *

"You ever have to pass a watermelon through a straw?" asked Cameron, her back pressed against House's front snugly.

"May I ask why I would want to?" he retorted quietly, both listening intently for any sounds from Toby, though House wouldn't admit it.

"Just wanted you to imagine what it feels like giving birth to your child." She answered, laughter behind her words.

Cameron smiled, she was so scared she'd do something to change him back to the ass he was pre-Toby. Anything to set him off and he'd dump them and become that same brooding doctor he was.

_**Who am I kidding? He's the same man… he's barely changed. Yeah, he's a little more patient, understanding, caring even loving…but is it a façade or is it genuine? Does he really care? **_Cameron argued with herself in her own mind.

House, his head resting in the crook of her neck while his arms were wrapped around her tightly, lifted his head slightly and looked at her. He smiled and simply stated, **"****The largest toy distributor in the world is McDonald's.**

Cameron said nothing, so deep in her thoughts as she was. House laughed, the rumbling of his body caused her to snap out of her reverie and look up at him confused.

"What? What are you laughing at?" she demanded, perplexed.

"Nothing, what were you thinking about?" he asked, sighing in order to quell his rumbling laughter.

"About things…"

"You're being very vague tonight, you know? You were reading a _book_ and you're thinking about _things_…hmmm…does this have something to do with Pete?"

"House," she started.

"What?" he demanded, unable to see her expression as clouds passed over the moon outside, blocking the little visible light they had in the room.

"Fine…I'm scared," she whispered.

"You're always scared, what's different?"

"I'm scared…because I'm afraid of what's going to happen…"

"Are you a physic? What's _going_ to happen?"

"Hopefully nothing! Don't you get it House?" she demanded herself, pushing away from his body as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"I'm going to say, _no_."

"I'm afraid that you haven't changed and that you're going to kick Toby and I to the curb because of your own delusions. That maybe you finally realized that you let your guard down one to many times and that you're going to shut down again."

"What do you hope to accomplish by telling me all this? Of course I've changed! We have a kid together, I'm sure as hell going to be there for him and _not_ become the man _I_ was fathered by!" House shouted, sitting up himself.

"House, keep your voice d-" Cameron was cut off when the wailing from Toby floated through the baby monitor.

House hung his head and scrubbed his scruffy chin with the pal of his hand before quickly jumping out of the bed and limping down the hall without so much as word from either person. Cameron lay back down, burrowing her head in his pillow.

House limped towards the crib and looked down at the gurgling baby, his blue eyes twinkling with happiness, the tears evident in his eyes but sadness or anger no longer than. House shook his head and reached into the crib and carefully plucked Tobias out, limping to the couch once more.

"Sorry, kid." House growled in his usual manner, holding Toby in one arm as the other rubbed his hurting leg.

House yawned and glanced at the baby, who was drifting off in his arms. House allowed himself a small smile before leaning his head back and holding Toby to his chest securely. After a few minutes, House fell asleep, Toby in his arms asleep as well.

"House?" Cameron called out, edging her way into the dark room, somewhat knowing what she was going to find lying on the couch. Her soft smile confirming what she knew, House sleeping peacefully with Toby in his arms protectively.

Cameron leaned over and gently took Toby from his father's arms, placing him in the crib and making sure he was okay before walking over to House. She cocked her head to the side and said aloud quietly; "How special…Wow, you are _not_ attractive when your mouth is hanging open while you sleep…

House stirred slightly before opening and closing his mouth a few times, then turning on his side and falling forward onto his stomach on the couch. Cameron shook her head and left to retrieve a sheet. She placed it over House when she returned, and hesitantly ran her slender hand through his graying, thick brown hair.

Checking on Toby once more, Cameron shuffled back towards the bedroom and immediately fell asleep when her head hit his pillow.

* * *

"House, Toby needs changed!" Cameron shouted before darting in the bathroom for a shower. House grumbled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up and ambled slowly towards the crib to a fussing Toby.

House placed the squirming infant on the changing table and proceeded to undo the buttons of his onesie. House grumbled about how stupid onesies were as he continued with taking off the diaper, when suddenly a yellow stream hit him directly in the chest.

House squeezed his eyes shut and counted to ten slowly, ignoring the stench, the warm liquid on his chest and the happy gurgling from the small child.

"Damn it!" he cursed more to himself than to the still squirming child as he finished the putting the fresh diaper on him. House held the baby away from his body as he carefully placed him back into the crib and hobbled down the hall quickly to wash up and change.

* * *

"Hey Cameron, just wanted to check on you and Toby, and make sure House hasn't done anything illegal this week." Cuddy claimed when she found herself in front of House's door.

"Cuddy! Come on in."

"Thanks." Cuddy shrugged off her overcoat and placed it on the couch, looking around for House.

"He's in the kit-"

"Cuddles! What a _pleasant_ surprise!" House mocked, emerging from the kitchen with beer in one hand and a bottle in the other, "Don't worry, the milk is mine. I'm getting all the calcium I need so you can stop worrying your pretty head about it and leave…right now."

Cuddy gave House a forced, tight smile and ignored his remark. She turned to Cameron and asked, "How's everything?"

"It's good, it's fine. Do you want to see Toby?" Cameron chirped, rushing over to pick Toby up and hand him to Cuddy.

"Dare I say it, he's adorable!" Cuddy gushed; House rolled his eyes and sipped from the wrong bottle, he looked at it with disgust before downing half of his beer.

"Do you mind if you change him for me please?" House asked, the sweet tone not so sweet from his gruff tone of voice.

"Why?" demanded Cuddy, looking at House accusingly.

"I'm drinking. Thou shalt not change baby while under the influence of nipple milk and beer." House declared before throwing himself onto the couch and eyeing Cuddy with a smirk as she turned to change the baby, Cameron shook her head and left towards the kitchen.

Two minutes later Cuddy emitted a gasp and small growl, she whirled to face House, who was beaming. She pointed angrily at him and sputtered, "You _knew_ he'd pee on me!"

"Well duh." He said simply before tossing the bottle to her and finishing with, "Feed him will ya?"

Cuddy caught the lukewarm bottle and hastily finished dressing the child before feeding him the breast milk. She cuddled him and looked at House.

"He is cute."

"Thanks, I know." House said, never tearing his eyes off the TV.

"I meant the baby, _Toby_?" Cuddy sighed, sitting next to House, she turned to face the TV as well, unaware that House gently grabbed the boy's little hand and shook it.

House winked at the baby and mouthed, "Good work, kid."

* * *

**TBC... **

**PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

* * *


	15. Stars

House placed both of his hands face down on the ledge of the hospital rooftop that he, and Wilson, currently occupied. He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, glancing askance at Wilson before shaking his head and facing away from him once more. He continued to watch the smoldering, orange sunset while Wilson watched him with prying eyes.

Wilson, who was leaning against the brick wall next to the only exit of this particular roof, looked at House slightly puzzled. He pushed himself away from the wall, brushed his lab coat off and place his hands on his hips as he asked, "What are we doing up here?'

House exhaled noisily as he quoted gruffly, "'Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes the night air smell better.'"

Wilson, even more confused, gestured to House, "Ookay…are you quoting some random dead poet because you're _lonely_?"

House shook his head roughly and asked quietly, "If that's supposedly true when you're lonely…what's true for when you're not?"

Wilson smirked and asked, "Why are you quoting Shel Silverstein?"

House hung his head, ignoring the fact the Wilson was guessing random poets and ignoring the bigger picture, "It's actually Henry Rollins, an American rock singer."

"Should' a known it was a rocker…whoever it is, why are you quoting them?" Wilson pressed, still clearly amused as he placed his hands on his hips once again.

House smirked at Wilson's stance as he moved in front of the large door that led back into the hospital. Wilson cocked his head to the side, ignoring House's trademark grin as the latter grabbed the handle to the door.

"Never mind. Don't you have some cats or something that need saving from those nasty Fichus trees, Superman?"

Wilson looked down and saw how is hands were on his hips, when he looked up he saw the door closing shut with House nowhere in sight. Wilson dropped his hands to his sides and muttered, "Damn it."

* * *

Cameron looked up from the couch, reading the same novel as before, when she heard the door open and close behind her. She shifted on the couch till she saw House placing his cane against the table that was near the door.

House glanced at Cameron quickly as he threw his keys and wallet on the table. He pulled off his coat and limped towards the couch, draping it over an arm as he sat down. He gestured towards the crib and asked, "How is he?"

"Fine. Sleeping." She responded, glancing at the crib with a soft smile before turning to watch as House carefully propped up his leg onto the coffee table.

"How was work?" she tried, gauging his reaction to see what mood he was in.

"You would know if you returned to work." He grunted, the hint of a smile on his face putting Cameron at ease.

"I have a baby to take care of, House."

"Hire a-"

"No, we will _not_ hire a nanny to raise him. I would like to be there for him always, and I would like for you to be there too."

"Cameron, he's a few weeks old. What is he going to do _now_ that you will be devastated you missed while at work?" House scoffed.

Cameron tossed the book onto the coffee table, before she crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly. House cocked his head to the side and waited for her to answer, "I'm thinking about quitting. Becoming a house-"

"Wife?" House concluded, raising a brow in her direction.

Cameron blushed and avoided his piercing, blue gaze.

"You're willing to throw your career away? So that you can spend more time at home with a baby that does nothing but eats, sleeps, poops, cries-"

"I get it, House." Cameron snapped at him.

House pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath.

"Cameron, you're not my wife. You can do whatever you want with your career. So if you choose to quit my team, _fine_. Just let me know so that I can hire another member."

"Like you would House. Like you'd even let me quit! Remember last time?"

House smirked, but averted his gaze nevertheless as he was reminded of their 'date' together. Suddenly he grinned and looked at her again.

"How about we do that."

"Do what? You do realize I can't actually read minds, right?"

_**The more time she spends with me…the more she is me…I love it!**_ House thought, standing up slowly from the couch.

"Go out on a date, a _real_ one. I mean you are the mother of my child… and I don't get to say that as often as you'd think."

Cameron sighed before nodding, grabbing House's outstretched hand. He pulled her off the couch and asked her to call Wilson to baby-sit.

"He may have plans you know."

"I _don't_ know, which is what makes this even more fun. Because if he does, he would drop them just for little 'ol me."

Cameron rolled her eyes, but called Wilson anyway as House limped down the hallway for a quick shower. When House emerged and motioned for her to take one as well, Cameron laughed, starting to feel excited.

_**We can finally talk, a real talk.**_ She thought as she started stripping her shirt off, making her way down the hall.

* * *

House, although it wasn't evident physically, felt sick to his stomach and scared. He watched as Cameron excused herself in the middle of their dinner so that she could use the restroom. House placed a hand into his trouser pocket and fingered the small velvet object he had placed in there.

House jumped when Cameron appeared and sat across from him with a small smile. She resumed eating her lobster dinner, watching as House quietly ate his own.

"So, what's on your mind House?" she asked timidly.

House shrugged, "Uh, nothing. How about you?"

"Look," she placed her fork down and looked directly into his blue eyes, "I don't want a repeat of last time. Why don't we pay for our food, and go get some ice cream? Take a walk in a park?"

House looked up and grinned, he liked that idea better. In familiar surroundings, it was perfect. He nodded, forgetting that she was watching him, waiting for a response.

"Let's get outta here." He said, grinning at her, his own growing wider when she smiled back.

_**God, she's beautiful.**_

Twenty minutes later, House handed Cameron her little ice cream cone as he took his from the young man serving the delectable treats. They proceeded to enter the park, few people milling about the spacious area at this time of night. House glanced askance at her every so often, both walking slowly so that they kept the same pace.

A cool night breeze slightly tousled Cameron's brunette locks, causing little tendrils to frame her alluring face. House, ignoring the heat he felt below his stomach, concentrated on his dripping ice cream cone.

Cameron finally broke the comfortable silence, as she motioned to a wooden bench in the center of the park.

"Would you like to sit?" she asked quietly, averting her eyes from House's sensuous gaze.

House nodded once, "Sure."

When they had settled on the bench, House scooted closer to Cameron as she scooted closer to him. They both pretended that neither of them did so, but instead looked at one another with matching smiles of content.

"I could get use to this." Cameron whispered as she licked her ice cream cone, tilting her head back to look at the lingering stars, the few that were there pronouncing themselves with little twinkles against the black sky.

House gave her a smug look that she missed, so immersed in the beauty of the night as she was.

"Could you?" he asked, his gruff voice appealingly soft.

"I could." She said simply, matching his lingering stare with one of her own.

House smiled, and shook his head gently. He once again fingered the velvet box in his pocket, his cone long ago eaten. He adjusted his formal silk tie; a fleeting thought of how appropriate it was for the coming occasion, but not for a stroll in the park.

When Cameron looked up at the stars once again, House took a deep breath and stood up, pretending to walk in order to loosen up his leg. Cameron paid him no mind, until he suddenly but gently grabbed her hand and kneeled on his good leg.

Cameron's voice hitched in her throat, her eyes wide as she watched House move. It was in slow motion for her, watching this man kneel down in front of her.

_**It's not what you think, Cameron…he wouldn't…would he?**_

House took a deep breath and finally looked up, his bright blue meeting Cameron's green ones. Her mouth was open wide, and House smiled at her.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch flies." He said simply, and she snapped it shut.

"Cameron, I don't know how you feel about me… but whatever you feel I hope that it's close to what I feel for you…every time I look at you my heart skips a beat…every time I hear you speak my stomach flips…and you have to know how heard this is to say this, but not because I don't want too…will you marry me, Allison?"

Cameron watched as he produced a small box from his pocket, tears streaming down her face. He opened it, chucked the small box into the nearest bushes, and held up the 3-carat diamond engagement ring. The ring flashed brightly in the night as he looked up at her, waiting.

Cameron opened her mouth to speak, but a sob caught in throat. House was scared, sure he was just rejected when she suddenly said, "Yes, Greg, I'll marry you."

A large grin split his face as he helped her put the ring on. She held her hand out and looked at it, "It's so beautiful, House."

House nodded, ignoring the shooting pain up and down his bad leg. Cameron suddenly gasped and stood to help him up.

"I'm so sorry, that must've hurt so much!" she exclaimed, helping him onto the bench. House nodded and scowled as he rubbed his leg.

"It was worth it." He muttered, turning his head to face her.

After a moment of silence, House and Cameron leaned forward, their lips meeting for a brief kiss. House reached up with a nimble hand and caressed Cameron's pink tinged cheek. They met again for another kiss, this one more passionate and lingering.

When they pulled away House could have swore he tasted the vanilla ice cream she was eating not moments before. Cameron smirked at House's dazed expression, unaware that her puffy lips and flushed appearance had a large effect on him.

"Should we go home, tell Toby the news?" House kidded quietly.

"Let's do that…and more." She replied with a quirky expression.

House let out a barking laugh, kissing her once again.

* * *

** TBC...**

**I KNOW! PLEASE REVIEW, AND TELL ME WHAT I PRETEND TO KNOW...**

**NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	16. Calling Wilson

**A/N: Sorry it's short, sorry it's late and sorry it's not the best chapter so far. It kinda sucks, I think. However y'all be the judge and tell me what you think. Flames welcome, however I'd like to survive them.**

* * *

"Son of a b-" House cut himself short, his eyes wide as he sat straight up from his position on the couch. He ran both hands through his thick hair before leaning forward enough to snatch his cell phone off the coffee table.

House cocked his ears towards the doorway, almost forgetting that Cameron and Toby had left for somewhere or other twenty minutes ago. He quickly dialed the familiar number, waiting in seething annoyance for his friend to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Wilson? It's House." He quipped, hoping to forgo any "polite" small talk and jump right into the situation at hand.

"House? What do you want?"

"I proposed to her yesterday…almost…_eloquently_." He sighed, immediately hitting himself upside the head when he muttered the last word.

House waited with bated breath for a remark, his small frown increasing in size when Wilson's almost inaudible chuckle turned into stomach churning laughter.

"This isn't a laughing matter, what should I do?" he growled, the small phone pressed against his ear as he cradled his head in his other hand.

"You get married and have Cameron pop out a few more kids." Came the choked reply, laughter ensuing.

House muttered something before he replied, "Wilson, I'm serious. What did I do? You need to help me out."

House waited as the laughter died down and Wilson said, "House, when you proposed you weren't drunk were you?"

"No, what does that ha-"

"Then that means you asked her with a clear head?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Do you love her?"

House paused, shook his head and replied with a gruff, "Why?"

"I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost; Than never to have loved at all." Wilson quoted, his boyish voice soft over the phone.

"You lost your damn mind, Wilson."

"Yeah, I may have…and you're losing your touch. You've fallen, House, and fallen hard. If you really love Allison, marry her. If not, break it off before it becomes even messier. G'night Greg."

House stared at the small phone; eyes squinted in confusion as he cocked his head to the side and thought to himself.

"Damn it…" he muttered, tossing the phone carelessly onto the coffee table.

House threw his face into his hands, willing the answer to all his hardships to show itself in his confusion. Suddenly, the sounds of Cameron returning jolted House back to the present.

"House." Cameron greeted, leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek, Toby resting on her hip.

House, mouth wide open as he did nothing to stop the soft kiss on his cheek, watched as Cameron carefully placed Toby in his arms and left the room. House shook his head and glanced down at the baby, the young child fighting to stay awake.

"What do you think, kid?" he asked, his voice low and gruff once more.

The baby gurgled, drooling all over the couch. House sighed again, standing up carefully with the baby in his arms. He limped towards the crib and gently placed the exhausted child inside. After Toby was situated, House returned to his seat on the couch.

_**When I saw her, my heart skipped a beat.**_ He thought to himself.

"House, what are you thinking about?" Cameron asked, taking a seat next to him.

"You promise not to hurt me right? You promise not to become a lawyer and turn all Stacey on me right?" he muttered, his blue eyes avoiding hers.

"Of _course_, House what's wrong?" she asked, her eyes desperately trying to make contact with his.

"'I've fallen, and I've fallen hard.' That's what's wrong." He whispered, the words lingering the air as Cameron shook her head gently.

"What?" she asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Nothing! Let's get to bed, huh? You can't return to work soon all frumpy and old looking, now can you?" he chirped, suddenly happier as he stood up quickly, limping down the hall as fast as he could.

**_I hope she_ is _returning to work, "people" know I need her there. _**

"Same old House." She said to herself as she stood and followed him, adding a little louder, "Who says I'm returning to work?"

* * *

TBC...

**PLEASE REVIEW, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THEM LONGER (AND BETTER)!**

* * *


	17. Thoughts Runnin' Through My Head

House lay in his bed, his arm stuck underneath Cameron's prone form. He stared at the ceiling as he counted off as many problems as he could that could go wrong from loss of blood in his fingertips. Cameron muttered something in her sleep and shifted enough for House to quickly pull his arm away with a relieved sigh.

When he finally felt a tingle in his fingertips, opening and closing his hand in order to restore the normal blood flow, he placed both of his arms behind his head. After propping his head up, House looked around his near pitch-black room, thinking.

House couldn't believe he was here, engaged with a son. Him, Gregory House, the world's biggest, uncaring ass; House pulled an arm out from under his head and ran a hand over his haggard face. He carefully placed it back underneath his head, careful to reduce his movements as to not wake the sleeping form beside him, his thoughts waging war against each other. He glanced at the baby monitor and tried to shake his head, unable to do so properly with his head resting on his arms. House let out a prolonged sigh, glancing over at Cameron quickly.

House's blue eyes roamed every familiar crack and crevice on his ceiling, before they settled once more on Cameron. He quickly averted his gaze once more; he was truly confused and lost.

_**Marriage? The ol' ball and chain? Little kids running around in a large backyard while I cook hamburgers on the grill?**_

House squeezed his eyes shut in hopes to silence his echoing thoughts, but to no avail. They pounded in his head, rising in octaves to be heard over his other thoughts. House's eyes flew open, once again searching the ceiling with such intensity it was if he was asking the high wall itself for the answers. House grinned sardonically to himself.

_**Oh ceiling above, what shall I do? I am the Great Gregory House, I cannot get married…or can I? I could piss Cuddy off by not inviting her…I'll have a kick ass bachelor party that I will make Wilson pay for, including exotically trained "dancers"…this could actually be fun…**_

House smirked and felt himself beginning to nod off, if being married was like this? He could live with it. Just as House was dozing off, a wailing Toby jerked him out of the welcoming darkness.

House groaned and sat up, Cameron dead asleep beside him.

"This sucks already." He muttered under his breath, his already gruff voice rougher from lack of sleep.

* * *

**TBC…**

**I decided to add the sequel's chapters to this, and continue on from there. I deleted the sequel, so please stay tuned here. **

**Please review!!**


	18. Incorrigible

**A/N: I have decided to add the chapters from the sequel (****Matrimonial Bliss?****) to the end of ****Maybe Baby**** for reasons I'm not sure really make sense. So for those who continued on to the sequel, this will look familiar. I will be deleting the other story than, and continue off from this one here on out. Hope you all continue reading!!

* * *

**

Gregory House swallowed the large lump that lodged itself in his throat as he unsubtly stared at-

"House! Get your mind out of the gutter and stop staring at my breasts!" interrupted Cuddy. She quickly stood up from behind her desk and strode over to where House was ogling her body from against the wall.

House shook his head and blinked hard, "Sorry?"

Cuddy glared at him unsuccessfully, noting the extra lines that had appeared around his eyes. She sighed and returned to her desk, shaking her head slowly, "House you look exhausted."

House rolled his eyes as he gestured with his left hand, his right clutching his wooden cane, "Duh! I'm engaged and have an infant son…who sleeps anymore?"  
"Well from your oh-so-sunny disposition today…certainly not you?" she retorted sarcastically, her black curls wrapping around her shoulders.

Before House could reply, he attempted to cover up a wide yawn. Cuddy smirked as House glowered back from the opposite side of the room. House looked around slowly before allowing his head to snap back up as he asked, "Why am I here again?"

Cuddy's smile slipped from her face and was replaced by a frown as she sat up straighter. Rifling through some papers on her desk, she pulled out a folder and held it up in the air for him to see. House managed to stifle a groan as Cuddy began explaining, "Percival Troy. Age fifty-two. Brought in by his wife when she realized that he was talking to his parents…who have been dead for ten years."

"So the guy needs to see a shrink-" House began, ready to present his reasons why he couldn't take such a boring case.

"He suffered a seizure soon afterward, nausea and vomiting…it's not neurological House…"

"The man's off his rocker…he's old and-"

"Part of the budget committee that reserves the right to fire you at anytime they please." She smiled smugly once again, tossing the folder onto her desk as House released an annoyed sigh.

House set his jaw and dipped his head curtly, "Fine," he cocked his head to the side and pretended to think hard, "Hallucinations, vomiting and nausea…he's a crazy old man who has the flu and feels nauseas because he just hurled his guts out?"

"The seizures?" she asked bluntly.

House shrugged, "Coincidence? Or maybe his dead parents were dancing to some funky techno music, you know…with all the lights flashing and stuff."

Cuddy placed her head in her hands and muttered something under her breath before looking up and pushing the folder towards the edge of the desk, "Find out what's really wrong with him. Now."

House had already limped over and took hold of the folder, he grinned and looked inside the folder quickly, "Interesting…his name is Percival? Percy?" House chuckled to himself, "How quaint."  
"Get out and help him." Cuddy demanded, waving her hand towards the door as she sunk back into her chair, exhaustion written all over her face within the few minutes he had been there.

House smiled and limped towards the door, pausing to look back at Cuddy and say, "Nice sweater bunnies today, Cuddles."

Cuddy let out a disgusted noise as she placed her manicured fingers against the temples of her forehead, "Incorrigible."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Review, please.  
**


	19. The Aches of Love

Cameron laughed heartily as she stared down at her young son, who was currently attempting to tear off his other sock with a determined look on his cute face. She tsked softly and fixed the sock, only to find herself staring down again with a grin on her face as Toby grabbed the white object on his small foot and began pulling.

Becoming red-faced, Toby began making the sounds that indicated he was frustrated, and that he was soon going to start crying. Cameron quickly picked him up and cradled the blue-eyed child in her arms protectively, making gentle shushing sounds. Toby immediately calmed and began gurgling happily, pushing his face into her shirt as he squirmed about.

Cameron laughed again, jumping slightly when the phone rang. She picked it up swiftly, holding Toby carefully on her lap as she cradled the phone to her ear, "Hello?"  
"I'll be late, again," came the gruff response, annoyance seeping through, nearly covering the exhaustion.

Cameron sighed and asked, "Case?"

"Yes." He answered bluntly.

"Symptoms?"

"Nausea, seizures, hallucinations, vomiting and now paraesthesia…" he trailed off, his voice low.

Cameron thought of all the millions of possibilities it could be before asking, "Any early signs of mania or psychosis?"

House paused before clearing his throat and nodding.

"I can't see you nod, you know that right?" Cameron kidded on the other line. House rolled his eyes and grunting, "Yes, he's showing early signs of…"

_**Wait for it…**_Cameron thought, a smile plastered on her face as she bounced a gurgling Toby up and down on her knee.

The line went dead and Cameron sighed, he must've figured it out and, as usual, took off without warning to solve the case. Cameron hung the phone up and turned Toby to face her; she leaned down and tickled his stomach.

"Toby, your daddy is so…so…" Cameron trailed off and frowned. Before she could think of a word to describe House nicely, Toby began fussing. Cameron sighed and pushed a few rogue stands of her dark hair back behind her ear. Fingering her engagement ring absent of mind, she picked up Toby swiftly and began making her way towards the kitchen, "I guess its dinner time."

* * *

House threw the same folder from earlier down onto Cuddy's desk, the latter currently on the phone. He gave her a smug smile and leaned against her desk, mouthing the words, "I solved it."

Cuddy nodded a few times, threw in a couple of "Uh huhs" and "Yes's" before hanging up and motioning towards the phone. "I was busy."

"And now you're not, so what's the problem?" he asked, a smile on his face still.

Cuddy sighed, "What was it?" she asked as she leaned forward and grabbed the abandoned folder.

"Ergot poisoning. Wasn't sure at first, but a simple test confirmed it. Your buddy should be fine." House assured her, feigning support in his voice but his expression completely belying it.

Cuddy looked over the folder and back at House before curving her lips into a smile and leaning back into her chair casually. House furrowed his eyebrows and looked around the room quickly.

"What? Am I on camera or something?" he asked, confused.

"You called Cameron, didn't you? _She_ solved it…"

House deflated and scowled, "You ruin all the fun."

Cuddy shook her head and leaned forward, as if she had a secret, "You need her on your team still. You can't work without her."

House scoffed and waved his hand about, "That's ridiculous. She asked what the case was about, so I told her. No big deal…I can work without her."  
Cuddy hummed, her smile never fading. She shrugged, "Sure, House."

House nodded firmly, "Can I go home now? Or are there any other Percy's, Abraham's or Neville's that need my expertise?" Before Cuddy could answer House grinned, "Didn't think so."

Turning on his heel as fast as he could without falling over onto his bad leg, he quickly exited Cuddy's office. Closing the door, he smiled. He always had the last word.

* * *

Cameron rushed to answer the front door of House's apartment, grinning when she saw Wilson standing there with a few wild flowers. She motioned him in and gave him a big hug, regarding him as a big brother.

"Sit down, Wilson, make yourself comfortable." She offered, returning to the kitchen, where she had emerged.

Wilson thanked her after handing her the flowers, and sat on the couch. He whistled softly and patted a beat onto his legs as he waited for Cameron to return. She came out five minutes later, carrying a glass of orange juice for herself and a bottle of beer for him.

"Thanks," Wilson said as he clinked his bottle to her glass jokingly.

Cameron nodded and laughed, sipping from her beverage periodically as she stared over at the crib like a hawk. Wilson followed her intense look and relaxed a grin on his boyishly handsome face.

"He's not going to sneak out in the middle of the night you know…not yet anyway," he joked to Cameron, earning a blushing beam from her.

"I know... I just get worried is all." She responded, comfortable with the small talk.

Wilson nodded in understanding and sipped from his beer before looking around and asking, "House?"

Cameron swallowed hard and returned her gaze to where a sleeping Toby lie, "Working."

Wilson nodded again, this time solemnly, "Sorry."

Cameron shook her head, "Don't be. I mean you know how it's like…patients and medical disasters…plus House…"

They shared a small laugh before another lapse of silence overcame them. Suddenly Cameron sat up straighter. "I called you because I think House is getting cold feet. I knew it was a mistake…he doesn't want to marry me! He doesn't want a child…"

Wilson sighed, knowing full well what she really wanted to talk about when she invited him over for a drink. He ran a hand through his brown hair and furrowed his eyebrows. Thinking before answering, finally he replied, "House really has fallen for you…even more so than he did with Stacey. That was nothing compared to how he feels now-"

"Did he tell you that?" Cameron interrupted.

Wilson shook his head slowly, "It's obvious-"

Again he was cut off, this time by a short laugh that was uncharacteristic for someone like Cameron. "Obvious? It's _House_."

The frazzled man sighed and nodded, "He has…I can't prove it to you but to tell you, look into his eyes. If that isn't love for another I see in there, then I have no idea what it is."

It was quiet before Cameron asked, "You seeing anyone?"

Wilson looked away and blushed, jumping slightly when Cameron tapped him slightly on the chest laughing. "You are!"

Wilson nodded and laughed, "Yes."

"Who? Do I know her?" Cameron asked. Wilson ignored the sudden happiness and excitement that came from the just upset woman.

"Uh, her name is Hadley, Olivia Hadley. She just started working in the Clinic." Wilson confessed, blushing. Cameron studied him for a moment before she said, "I know what you mean. I see that look in your eyes."

Wilson gave her a quizzical look before he realized what she meant. He reddened and shook his head; "No…I've only known her for a few weeks…"

Cameron chuckled, "You love her, James!"

Wilson sighed and relented, "I guess I do."

Cameron hit him again, gently, and claimed, "Good for you!"

Wilson took a long swing from his bottle and nodded, "To love and all its dysfunctional bits."

Cameron smirked and lifted her half-empty orange juice glass, "To love."

* * *

House entered his home quietly, save for the soft thumping of his cane against the wood-paneled floor. He swung the book bag off his shoulder and peered into the crib out of habit. Staring down, he saw that Toby was sleeping soundly, his small fist curled up near his head.

House grunted and looked away, tossing his book bag onto the couch and throwing himself onto it, careful of his leg. He stiffened when his chest began to ache, a dull pain that came and went every so often.

He rubbed it carefully, trying to ignore it. When the dull ache suddenly wasn't so dull, House heaved himself off the couch and threw himself in the direction of the bathroom. He opened the cabinet and rifled through it carelessly, like he always did. The extra things in the cabinet did not surpass his attention, although it didn't hold it for long when he finally found the familiar prescription bottle.

Popping the lid, he tipped the bottle till he managed to get two white tablets into his palm. He placed them in his mouth and swallowed roughly. He then decided that he didn't need to prove how he could dry-swallow pills to anyone when he was alone, so he turned the faucet and cupped a handful of cold water and gulped it down gratefully.

Slender fingers grasping the cool material of the sink, tense shoulders hunched, House finally looked up and peered into the mirror to see his haggard appearance. Water dribbled off his chin, landing on his shirt or back into the sink itself as he studied his exhausted figure. House shrugged and straightened himself out; hissing in pain when he figured the pills hadn't kicked in yet. Limping out from the bathroom, he paused in the hallway and considered going into the bedroom to sleep.

Shaking his head, House opted for the couch, telling himself he did so because he didn't want to wake Cameron up. After he made himself as comfortable as he could on the lumpy object, House stared silently at the crib. He strained to hear the breathing of the child that occupied it, and realized he had relaxed when he heard the soft noise wafting in the still air.

House ran a hand over his face and turned on his side, his eyelids heavy. Finally sleep overcame him, and he drifted off with a small smile of content, however faint, on his pink lips.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review...  
**


	20. Don't Become Your Father

Cuddy watched Cameron's every move, her head tilted to the side slightly. Her brown eyes didn't miss the exhaustion on the younger woman's face, even as she plastered a smile on her face and offered the glass of red wine she had ventured to get.

Cameron flopped down onto the couch, pulling her legs underneath her as she settled into the corner comfortably. Cuddy shook her head and sipped from her glass before placing it on the coffee table and turning to face Cameron.

"You don't have to go through with this you know."

Cameron's head snapped up as she asked, "With what?"

Cuddy sighed, "Marrying House."

"Oh." Cameron furrowed her eyebrows and looked away briefly, "I know that."

Cuddy laughed humorlessly, "I don't think you do, Allison."

Once again her head was quick to turn and look at Cuddy. "Lisa, I'm capable of handling my life, and House. Or else I wouldn't have agreed to marry him."

"So you're sure? You're absolutely certain you want to marry _House_?" scoffed Cuddy, her hand reaching out to grab the much-needed glass of wine.

Cameron smiled and looked at her fingers, "I love him. And Toby deserves to have his father in his life."

Cuddy frowned and pulled the glass away from her lips reluctantly, "But _House_?"

Cameron sighed, "He's not as bad as he makes everyone thinks he is. I mean, yeah he's an ass, but he's-"

Cuddy raised a plucked eyebrow, "He's just House."

Cameron smiled, "Yes."

It was quiet for a moment before Cuddy looked around the room, a slightly perplexed expression on her narrow face. "Where's House anyway? And Toby?"

Cameron waved a hand at the front door as she spoke, "House is out somewhere, and Toby is hanging out with his Uncle Wilson."

Cuddy nodded and sipped from her glass quietly.

* * *

"Okay, Mr…?" the Doctor looked up from his clipboard and over at House, hoping he would fill in the blank.

"Smith, John Smith." House gave the young man a forced smile, hoping to get the whole ordeal with quickly.

"Mr. Smith, right. Okay, could you please remove your shirt?" the Doctor asked, disbelief evident at House's alias. He placed the clipboard onto a counter and pulled the stethoscope away from his neck.

House carefully removed his shirt, grimacing slightly. The Doctor frowned before he placed the cold stethoscope against House's chest and asked him to breathe in and out.

House looked up at the ceiling, rolling his blue eyes at the rookie doctor. Finally he was asked to place his shirt back on. The Doctor leaned against the counter, his clipboard safely pressed against his chest.

"Okay, Mr. Smith. From what I see here…" he glanced at his clipboard momentarily, "You're as healthy as can be expected for man having been shot not too long ago."

House rolled his eyes again, "So, I'm as healthy as a horse…is that it?"

The Doctor smiled and nodded, "Yes. Maybe what you're experiencing is phantom pains, brought on by stress or some other factors."

House sighed and faked his thanks as he echoed it aloud, "Thanks kid," and he leapt off the table and landed on both of his feet carefully. He limped over to his cane, grabbed it and walked out of the room. "Good thing this is a free clinic," he muttered as he left the small building, refusing to thank God.

* * *

Wilson sighed and tried in vain to feed Toby something green from a small container of baby food. "Come on, Toby…it's good!"

Toby squirmed and made fussy noises, his face reddening. Wilson tried to get his attention as he lifted the spoon to his mouth and said, "Look, look, look! It's yummy!"

He placed the green mush into his mouth and managed to hide a grimace as the bitter food hit his tongue. He licked his lips and made a face, placing the container onto the table beside him. He shook his head and stood up, lifting Toby up as well.

"Okay, we'll go back to the bottle and tell mommy we're not making progress." Wilson told the child as he cradled him carefully on one hip. Toby grabbed a handful of Wilson's gray sweatshirt and began to chew in it, effectively slobbering on the material.

Just as Wilson was heating up a bottle, the sound of his front door opening caused him to jump slightly and pull Toby against her chest protectively. He peered around the corner and released an audible sigh when he saw House making himself comfortable on the couch. Wilson made himself visible as he playfully offered, "Make yourself at home."

"I will," House responded, without looking up. Wilson sighed and turned back into the kitchen, Toby still resting on his hip carefully.

"Beer?" Wilson called out from the kitchen, his hand already in the fridge.

"Sure," came the reply.

Wilson nodded and pulled out the cold beverage, placing it on the counter. He tested the milk, warm after it's heating, on his wrist and deemed it a good temperature. Carrying the bottle and beer, and hoisting Toby up a little further, Wilson made his way out into his living room. He handed the beer to his friend, and settled himself onto the couch with Toby in his lap.

House gave a slight double take when he finally noticed Toby; nearly choking on the long sip he was taking from his beverage. However, Wilson didn't notice because he was too busy trying to get Toby to put the nipple of the bottle into his mouth.

House watched in a slightly amused manner, sipping at his beer. Finally he asked, "So, what are you doing with the kid?"

Wilson looked up and answered slowly, "Babysitting?"

House looked around and asked casually, "Where's Cameron?"

Wilson sighed and looked back down at Toby, once again trying to get the child to drink the milk. "At home, I presume."

"And she dumped him on you?" House questioned, sipping from his beer once again, "Hmmm."

Wilson groaned inwardly and finally placed the bottle onto the coffee table before him. He turned Toby to face him and bounced him gently in his lap as House looked over and muttered, "Maybe he's not hungry."

Wilson rolled his eyes, "I could have guessed that myself, _Holmes_. But thanks anyway."

He leaned back into the couch and asked, "What are you doing here anyway?"

House shrugged, "Came to check on my buddy, and drink him," he looked down at his beer and smiled, "We're best pals."

"Gee thanks," scoffed Wilson, although he didn't mean it. He wasn't sure he could be surprised anymore by House's antics.

It was quiet for some time. Finally Wilson, who had been cooing at Toby for a while, looked over at House. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "You set a date yet?"

House did a double take and exclaimed, "Why Jimmy! I didn't know you had such feelings for me!"

Wilson shook his head, as if House was a useless cause but plowed on, "You know what I meant House. Did you and Cameron set a date for the wedding yet?"

Unable to escape from the specific question, House opted to take another swing from his beer and looked away. Finally he glanced over to see the intent stare of his friend, Wilson's brown eyes trained on his face steadily.

"No." House admitted, cursing himself mentally. Wilson gave him a shocked expression.

"Are you planning to stay engaged forever?"

House shrugged, "It has its benefits."

"House," Wilson scolded, "You can't mess with Cameron like that, not this time. Not on this matter."

House rolled his eyes and sat up straighter, "Thanks for the advice Dr. Phil."

"I'm serious," Wilson stressed, bouncing Toby and up and down carefully as the little boy began to fuss again.

It was quiet as Wilson waited for House to respond. House looked back at Wilson quickly and feigned shock, "Oh, was I supposed to dignify that with a useless response?"

Wilson shook his head and stood up, holding Toby in his arms carefully. "You should talk to her House, for both of your sakes." Wilson looked down at Toby, a look of love for the child passing over his face as he said, "You should also spend a little more time with your son…don't become like your father."

House's head snapped up at the mention of his father, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Wilson paused and shook his head, "Whatever you want it to mean, House."

House furrowed his eyebrows, "What did you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean Greg," he waved his free hand; "All I'm saying is to spend some time with Toby."

House stood up as swiftly as he could, sending a dark look in his friend's direction. Without a word, House limped towards the front door, threw it open and left without closing it. Wilson sighed and pressed Toby closer to his chest. He pressed his lips against the sleepy child's head before turning and setting himself carefully on the couch.

* * *

**TBC...**


	21. House, Speak

A week had passed since Wilson's verbal exchange with House, the result being a perturbed silence between them until a prank by the latter suggested that the anger had worn off. Wilson gladly accepted the pranks and tricks over the surreal silence from House.

Much to Cameron's chagrin, her young son found these tricks to be amusing, leading her to believe that the young child would be more than a handful when he was able to stand on two legs. House, however, absolutely loved it.

Which is how Wilson and Cuddy found the 'happy couple', both words begging to be questioned…in House's living room. House was talking to the kid, to the surprise of the guests, while Cameron watched in annoyance on the couch.

"Hey, come on in!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her face as they did so.

Wilson lifted up two bags of take-out and made his way to the kitchen as Cuddy found herself next to Allison, comfortably.

"How's it going?" Cuddy asked the younger woman, sending a less-than-amused expression in House's direction as the man began telling the young boy a story about an ugly witch named Luddy with gigantic brooms.

When House concluded his story, he pulled away from the child and gave him a less then cordial pat on the head as his odd sign of affection. "To be continued, kid."

Toby protested but soon found himself enveloped in the warm embrace of his favorite Uncle. He smiled up playfully and giggled as Wilson proceeded to tickle him in the ribs.

"Careful Wilson, don't drop him." Cuddy protested from the side of her mouth as she continued her meaningless conversation with Cameron.

House eyed both of his guests carefully before it dawned on him. He grinned to himself and took a long swing from his bottle of beer before settling himself into an armchair.

"So," he called out loudly, so that the adults paused and turned to look at him questioningly, "How long have you two been doing the naughty?"

"House!" Cameron gasped, looking at Wilson and Cuddy in an apologetic manner.

Wilson cast Cuddy a look, and shrugged. Cuddy expelled her breath she was holding before throwing her hands up in defeat, "We've been going out for a few weeks now."

Wilson nodded in the affirmative, "Mmhmm."

Cameron looked shocked, and House looked gleeful. Toby struggled in Wilson's arms before he cried, "House!"

It was silent for a beat before a smug grin spread across House's features. Wilson held Toby in the air and pretended to study him intently. Toby giggled and clapped both of his hands on Wilson's face as he exclaimed once more, "House!"

Cuddy and Cameron erupted into what House would call fits, but they called gleeful cheers and giggles. They both stood and praised Toby for his first word, much to the young boy's happiness. House watched from the corner, slightly amused at the fuss.

Wilson managed to untangle himself from the woman as they cooed over the child, and leaned against the wall with a freshly opened beer. He looked down at House and took a sip.

"Congrats," Wilson stated, bobbing his head up and down as if to a silent beat.

House's lips curled up into a sneering smile as he threw back, "Ditto."

Wilson rolled his eyes, "You're not mad at me are you? You seem mad…and I'm not entirely sure why."

House ignored him as he watched Cuddy and Cameron continue to praise Toby. He felt tired, suddenly, like the week had just finally taken a toll on him. He stifled a yawn and rolled his neck, trying to ease the tension he felt there.

Wilson watched House out of the corner of his eye, feeling a sudden mood change from his friend. His bottle paused before his lips, unsure whether House was okay or not. House brought a hand up to his chest and began to rub it unconsciously, unaware of Wilson's steady gaze above him.

"Are you okay, House?" he asked in all seriousness.

House barely registered the concern laced in his friend's voice as he mockingly retorted, "Rocket Gibraltar, Jimmy."

Wilson rolled his eyes, but continued watching House carefully as he took a long pull from his bottle of beer. House shifted in his seat, mindful of his leg as always, before finally nearly shouting, "Alright! We get it! He said his first word! Be happy then _shut_ up!"

Cuddy and Cameron exchanged looks of annoyance and embarrassment before taking deep breaths and calming down. Cameron waltzed over to House and sat on the arm of his chair, before quickly leaning down and placing a peck on his cheek. House remained still, his expression neutral but his eyes slightly wider than before.

Wilson coughed into the crook of his arm, nearly spluttering his beer everywhere when he stifled a choking laugh. He tried to clear his throat, a grin plastered on his face.

House shot Wilson a dark look before pulling himself off the couch. He raised his eyebrows at Cameron, non-suggestively but more in confusion before he began to sway back and forth unsteadily.

Cameron's silly smile immediately disappeared as she stepped closer to House and asked, "Are you okay, Greg?"

House didn't respond as his body suddenly fell to the ground heavily, shocking the others in the room and causing young Toby to begin wailing from his crib. Wilson dropped his beer as they all seemingly surged forward to aide the collapsed doctor.

"House?!"

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review.  
**


	22. Everybody Lies

Slowly blinking his way back to consciousness, House noticed that he was still in his home. With a small groan, he alerted the others that he was indeed awake. The others were upon him immediately, demanding to know how he felt, and if he knew what happened.

After taking a few steadying breaths, he growled, "Will you shut up?"

Wilson laughed with relief, and backed away, shaking his head. Placing a hand on the back of his neck he asked, "How are you feeling?"

House attempted to sit up, but Cameron hand's flew to his chest and pushed him down. With a stern look in her direction, she begrudgingly released her firm hold. Blinking hard, he looked at the three concerned faces. "I'm fine."

Cuddy scoffed and waved her hands in the air. "Fine? He's fine," she motioned towards him as she addressed the others, "You hear that? He's fine!"

"Lisa," Wilson murmured, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder. She gave him an exhausted look before shaking her head and walking over towards Toby's crib. Looking down with a sad smile, she rubbed the belly of the now sleeping child. Wilson sighed and gave House a hard look. "What the hell happened?"

House subconsciously rubbed his chest, a dull throbbing pain resounding underneath his fingertips. "It's nothing, I'm fine."

"House," it was the tone Wilson used when he was warming himself up to lecture House, he used it often. "How often have you been experiencing chest pains?" He pointed to House's hand, lying flat on his chest.

"It was just some phantom pain, no big deal," he claimed, maneuvering his head in an attempt to peer around Wilson's body and catch what was on TV. Feeling the eyes of everyone on him, he rolled his own. "I was shot, I still feel pain," he reached down to rub his aching thigh, "I always feel pain."

Squinting, Wilson attempted to weasel an answer out of the crippled man with a stern look. House nearly scoffed, "I told her," he gestured idly towards Cameron, "That she can't actually pierce me with her glare...which means you can't..." he caught something interesting on the TV, "Can't, actually...get an answer...out of me with a stare, glare...go! Go! Go! " He groaned when the car he hoped would be crushed escaped from underneath a monster truck. "Damn it," he muttered.

"You're hopeless!" Cuddy threw her hands up into the air. Turning to face Cameron, she added, "I'm so sorry, Cameron, but this was a mistake."

Cameron furrowed her eyebrows and opened her mouth to protest, but House's voice interjected first. "Let the door hit your ass on the way out, Cuddles," he crowed, avoiding the disappointed look on Wilson's face.

"Nice House, you're a piece of work. You know that?" Wilson gently grasped Cuddy's elbow and cast an apologetic look at Cameron. Leading them towards the front door, he leaned forward and hugged the younger woman, whispering, "Call if you need anything."

Cameron nodded before accepting a hug from Cuddy. "Sorry."

"I understand," she whispered back. Shutting the door behind them, she crossed her arms and glared at the back of House's head. He rubbed the back of it before exclaiming, "Oh no! It burns!"

Rolling her eyes, she dropped her hands at her sides and wandered over towards the sleeping Toby. Checking he was warm and comfortable, she cast one last look at House before calling out, "Good night."

House risked a glance in her direction, watching as she slowly made her way towards the bathroom. He sighed and picked up his discarded bottle of alcohol. Taking a sip of what was left of the lukewarm beverage, he grimaced and touched his chest gingerly. "Damn," he muttered. He was really going to have to do this. He was going to have to have a meaningful, productive conversation with his fiancée.

_**If I knew marriage was going to include meaningful conversations, I would have said ix-nay the and-bay. Wait...what?**_

Shaking his head with a sigh, he took one last pull of his beer and placed it on the coffee table before him. Taking a few steadying breaths, he pulled himself up onto his feet, swaying slightly before taking a few steps. Feeling he was fine, he took a few more in the direction of the bathroom. He knocked on the door gently, calling out, "You going to eat the Chinese food our guests brought over?"

_**Nice, real smooth House.**_

The door swung open quickly, nearly causing House to fall in. Looking up curiously, he saw a pair of red-rimmed eyes squint at him. He took a deep breath.

"First of all, it was Thai, not Chinese. Second of all, guests usually stay over. They are usually our friends..."

"And now...?"

"Why would they want to be my friend anymore? I'm getting married to you!" she cried out, pushing her bangs off of her forehead in a futile manner.

House mentally groaned.

_**Ooggggh...**_

Leaning in the doorway, he smirked. Quickly replacing it with a frown, he demanded, "Why do you care what they think?"

Laughing with humor, Cameron replied, "I didn't say I cared what they think, but now that you mention it? Yes I care. I happen to care what people think of me, and my family. Because I'm a human being, because I have a heart!" She was on the verge of tears again.

"Well, I care...sort of..." he mumbled, feeling as if he were in some surreal world. It was rare when Cameron lost her cool composure.

"Sort of? You sort of care?" she gripped the doorframe tightly. "Why don't you just admit it, and tell me that you truly don't care about anyone except yourself. Just admit House, get it out in the open."

Feeling as though his next answer would make or break the relationship, he bit his bottom lip. "I-" the words caught in his throat. _**Lie, or pretend to lie. Either way, just say it! Whether you mean it or not, say it! Everybody lies!**_ "I care," he faltered, his blue eyes unable to meet hers.

She paused and studied the man before her. Nodding as if she received some news on a secret, she chuckled once more without humor. "Right, of course!" Leaning in close to his ear, she growled, "Everybody lies," before brushing past him and nearly slamming the door to the bedroom shut.

A wail erupted from behind House, who cringed at the sound. Turning off the light in the bathroom, he limped towards Toby's crib. The boy waved fisted hands in the air, and kicked his feet. House made some shushing noises, before reaching in cautiously and allowing the wailing child to grab his finger. The crying subsided softly, followed by some soft hiccups. House looked down at Toby, as if the baby were some puzzle he couldn't figure out. Wide, blue eyes, glistening with tears, wandered over House's weathered face.

House wagged his finger back and forth; feeling the velvety skin that enveloped it, tighten. He watched as Toby's eyes flickered between the strange objects in his tiny hands, and back up to the worn face of the man towering above him. His pink lips quivered once more, before a soft burp escaped his lips. Smirking, House tilted his head to the side and continued watching his son.

_**I could get used to this**_.

* * *

**TBC...**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	23. Kid

The lack of noise was roused House from an otherwise undisturbed sleep. He scratched his head before craning his neck in search of a clock. Unable to find one from where he lay on the couch, he glanced at his watch and rolled his eyes. It was already noon.

"Why didn't-" he stopped, catching sight of a note on the coffee table. Tapping his fingers on his chest, he watched the piece of paper for a moment. Sighing, he sat up with a minuscule groan and snatched the note with stiff fingers.

"'House, Toby and I went for a walk. Afterward, we'll be at Lisa's. Call my cell phone if you need me. –Allison'," he read aloud, his voice still rough with sleep. He tossed the note back onto the table before him and reclined back, his joints protesting at any movement. "Goody," he muttered.

Lacing his fingers behind his head, he yawned widely and pulled a hand away to scratch idly at his stomach. Unsure as to what to do, he pulled himself up unsteadily and looked around the living room for his cane. Spotting it leaning against Toby's crib, he snatched it up and hobbled towards the kitchen, in search of belated breakfast.

Rifling through the cabinets, House wrinkled his nose at all the baby supplies and healthy foods he found. He flung the fridge door open and leaned down as far as he could, in search of something fattening and sugary. Pushing aside baby bottles and a bag full of large carrots, he sighed and hung his head. Straightening, he kept himself from slamming the door shut in annoyance.

Slouching against his cane, his fingers twisting around the handle in agitation, he looked around the kitchen once more. Rolling his eyes, he exited and limped down the hall, into his bedroom. Noting the neatly made bed, he tossed his cane on the wrinkle free comforter and hobbled towards the dresser.

Rather than dressing as he would for work, although it was really no different than how he usually dressed, he decided to go jacket-less. Grabbing a black and white shirt that screamed, "Mick Jagger!" and a pair of faded jeans, he dressed as quickly as he could and made up his mind as to what he was going to do. He was going to nab some breakfast at a fast-food place, and then crash in on Cuddy's and Cameron's little get together.

He smirked as he tugged on the shirt over his head.

**_This day could turn out to be very fun._**

**_

* * *

_**

"So you two fought again?" Cuddy surmised, watching over her cup of tea at Cameron.

The younger woman huffed and attempted to situate the struggling baby on her lap, balancing her own cup in one hand, and a baby bottle in the other. "Yes," she finally replied, after feeling the stare on her face.

"And…?" she pressed, leaning forward in order to hear over Toby's fussing.

"And what?" Cameron managed to reply in a calm manner.

"And you're still going to marry him?" Cuddy nearly demanded, ignoring the dangerous sloshing of tea in her own cup.

"Yes," Cameron breathed, pushing her bangs off her forehead futilely with the back of her hand, "Yes I am." Ignoring Cuddy's incredulous expression, she continued on. Placing her beverage on the table beside her, she settled herself back into the couch and managed to get Toby to suckle the bottle she offered. "House isn't going to change who he is just because he's marrying me, and I don't truly expect him to. Otherwise, why would I say yes?"

"Good question," muttered Cuddy, sipping cautiously at her drink.

"Lisa, don't."

"Allison," Cuddy blinked hard, "You're crazy to think this marriage will work. It's House we're talking about! I just don't want to see you hurt…" she placed a hand over Cameron's. "I know you love him, but is it worth it?"

"Well, yes. That's what love is all about. Taking risks and chances-"

A loud knock interrupted what she was trying to say, causing the ladies to jump. Toby began whining and kicking, his face turning a dark shade of red. The front door opened and a smug House waltzed in.

"Helloo, Ladies. I'm not interrupting am I?" before Cuddy could tell him he was, he cut her off and nodded. "Good."

Cuddy gave Cameron an exasperated look, but Cameron stifled a smile and shook her head. House watched the exchange with an amused expression, before shutting the door behind him and entering the house further. When Cuddy stood to allow the two a few minutes alone, House immediately stole her seat on the couch.

Touching Toby's nose with an elegant finger, emitted a bubbly laugh from the child, House growled, "Kid."

"House!" he cried, clapping his hands together. Cameron shook her head and gently sat Toby up, before sending House a cross look.

"What are you doing here? And don't say you were in the neighborhood," she added quickly.

"I seemed to have misplaced my kid, so I thought I'd go fine him." He shrugged, scratching at his light beard lazily.

"House, you know that I wanted to talk to Cuddy privately," she claimed, bouncing Toby up and down on her lap. He giggled as he reached out for his father, who was watching him with a mild interest.

"Yeah, and your point?" he held out a finger for Toby to grab, before pulling it back quickly, emitting another round of laughter from the boy. He repeated the motion, a small smile at the corner of his lips. "I was bored, so I decided to crash in on your tea party."

Cameron took a deep breath, wishing the no-nonsense Cuddy would come back kick House out her home. When the dark haired woman didn't appear on command, she sent a dark look at House. But she couldn't stay angry, when she saw that he was wagging a finger in Toby's face, the child attempting to catch it with two hands. Looking up, House attempted to school his amused expression to a suggestive one.

"Why don't we leave him here with Aunt Cuddles why we go and do just that?" he murmured, leaning forward enough that his beard tickled her chin. She pulled away and ran a hand over Toby's fuzzy hair.

"Uh, no," she quietly replied, "Don't think I've forgiven you yet for last night."

Rolling his eyes, he sat back. "You're no fun," he muttered, fighting the urge to cross his arms over his chest childishly.

"It's not supposed to be about fun, you just need to grow up and understand that." She nestled herself farther away from him, cradling Toby against her chest. "I think you should go."

"You can't kick me out," he claimed, perking a brow in her direction.

"But I can," a stern voice interjected. Looking up, House was met with a pair of angry brown eyes. "Get out House."

Looking back and forth at the two women, he relented with a small wave of his hand. "Fine, fine. Leave you two woman to _talk_," he waggled his eyebrows at the last word, and smirked at the annoyed expression he earned. Snatching up his cane, he limped towards the door and watched as the two glared at him. Toby fussed and held out his arms towards his retreating father. House shook his head, "Sorry to subject you to this," he said with a smile. "But you have to learn to deal with these two someday."

Casting one last look at Cameron and Cuddy, House left. Cuddy sent a cross look towards Cameron, who shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, I didn't think he would-never mind, I probably knew he would come over here subconsciously."

"Don't tell him next time," Cuddy told her.

Toby began fussing again, his lower lip protruding out with a quiver.

"I don't know what he sees in that man," Cuddy muttered.

"Another kid," Cameron nearly laughed. They looked at each and smiled.

* * *

**TBC...**

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**Thanks for your reviews so far too. **


	24. Wislon

Nearly slamming the front door shut, Cameron strutted over to Toby's crib and carefully laid him inside. Whirling around, she was not surprised to find House sipping from a beer casually, remote in hand and feet on the coffee table. Raising his eyebrows, he took a swing from his bottle and just stared. With a huff, Cameron stalked down the hall and into their bedroom.

Several minutes later, she came out with a satisfied smile, phone waving in the air. "I called Wilson over, he's going to watch Toby."

Pretended to be more taken-aback than he really was, House snipped, "Well that was stupid...we're right here. What would be the point?" He averted his blue eyes towards the television, knowing full well that whatever Cameron would have to say next would be to his dislike.

"We're going out," she claimed. When he risked a glance at her, she smiled.

"I figured that," he griped under his breath.

"You and I are going to go....for a walk, or dinner...doesn't matter. But we're going to get to the bottom of whatever has been going on around here." Cameron plunked herself down on the opposite side of the couch, her pony tail bouncing jovially. She turned to face him, squinting her eyes as if attempting to ingrain every line on his face.

With a resigned sigh, House threw his head back and closed his eyes. Resting the beer bottle in his lap, he replied, "You can't sear my flesh, woman. You should know that by now."

Scrunching her nose up in a dissatisfied manner, she shook her head. "He'll be over in half an hour, so get up and shower." After a few minutes, House pulled himself away from the couch and limped down the hall, moving his lips in silent curses. "Nothing fancy!" she called at his retreating back, before allowing herself a small victory dance on the couch.

A soft whimper gave her pause, before she lept up and leaned over her son's crib. "Hello you," she cooed at the now beaming child. Cameron tickled his stomach, and watched as his face screwed up with both confusion and amusement. "Daddy and I are going out...you'll stay here with Uncle Wilson, okay?" At the mention of his Uncle's name, Toby clapped his hands and cried, "Wislon!"

Cameron laughed, and shook her head. "No, no. Will-son. Not Wis-lon."

But Toby was adamant about his Uncle's name, shaking his fist and kicking his feet as he attempted to push the word through his little lips. The gruff voice of his father caused him to light up once more, and Toby threw his hands up in the air in a demand for House to pick him up.

"That was quick," Cameron stated, eying House's usual garb with a small shake of her head. "I'll be back, it's my turn." Leaning in and kissing Toby's forehead, she nearly skipped down towards the bathroom, much to House's amusement.

House peered at his son, and once more found himself studying the child. He was secretly fascinated by Toby, and wished deep down he could reclaim the innocence and carefree laughter of a child. Allowing Toby to grasp his finger, House leaned against the crib and settled for watching his son play with his finger. A small, amused smile played over his lips.

"You know, kid," House found himself talking, his voice low, "You have to be smart if you're talking at this age...two words down, way to go." When he garnered no response, aside from a tugging of his finger towards the boy's awaiting mouth, he shook his head and sighed. "You're lucky, I..." he wanted to say "like you," but saying the words, even to an unknowing child, was difficult. They stuck in his throat, and he found himself annoyed at that. But try as he could, he wasn't able to say anything remotely nice to his boy. The fact that he felt the feelings that he did for the child was scary enough for House. Shaking his head at his thoughts, House glanced down at his finger, currently in Toby's mouth, and sighed. "Nice."

Leaning forward, in order to level his gaze to the young boy's, he continued. "Do you have any know where my fingers have been? Believe me kid, you have no idea." Turning his head to the side, he added, "_I _have no idea." The comical expression he used to show his horrified disgust turned into a satisfied smirk when Toby giggled around his fingers.

He continued to talk to child for several minutes, before a knock at the front door announced the arrival of Wilson. Rolling his eyes, he straightened up and limped over, before flinging the door open.

"You have a key! Use it!" he cried out in mock annoyance.

Confused, Wilson tentatively walked in and replied, "I'm sorry...unlike you, I like to announce myself before barging into someone's house. But, I should stop doing that, right?" He smirked when House made a face at his joke. "Thought so."

"Thought what?" Cameron asked, coming out of the bathroom as she pulled her hair up into a neat ponytail. She stopped and placed her hands on her hip, eying the two men suspiciously. "What are you two up to?"

Before Wilson could answer, House quickly cut in. "Wilson thought that a french kiss was a type of chocolate, and I was trying to help our poor, virgin friend update his sexual vocabulary." House grinned and placed a hand on Wilson's shoulder, ignoring the other man's weak protest. However, Cameron smiled knowingly and rolled her eyes.  
"Anything you need to know before we leave?" Cameron changed the topic, looking at Wilson. He scratched the top of his head and looked around.

"No, I think I'm all set." He strode over to where Toby was preoccupied with a stuffed guitar. Ruffling the young boy's hair, he smiled softly and said, "Have fun you two."

As Cameron tugged on House's arm, ready to leave, House couldn't help but call out, "You left your porn DVDs underneath the couch cushions! Enjoy!" loud enough for the neighbor poking her head out into the hall for her evening paper to flush and retreat quickly.

"Thanks a lot House," Wilson sighed.

"No problemo, Wislon." And with that last remark, and giant grin, House and Cameron finally left. Confused, Wilson turned to face Toby, who must've thought that stuffed toys were meant to be literally stuffed in your mouth.

When Wilson carefully extracted the soggy toy from his lips, he looked up wide eyed and cried, "Wislon!" Throwing his arms up into the air for a hug. The older man's shoulders sagged and he shook his head.

"House," he muttered.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review.**


	25. Crash and Burn

Slowing her car to a stop, Cameron decided to try and get through to her fiance as soon as she could. Sighing, she glanced at the red light before turning to face him. He seemed grouchy, though it wasn't a different look at all. In fact, if he hadn't looked that way, she probably would have been worried.

"House..." she trailed off, uncomfortable at the icy glare he cast at her. "You're acting like a child," she scoffed. He indeed was, arms crossed over his chest, body scrunched and lips in a near pout.

"Yeah, well, I thought you said we were going for a walk...I was lied to," he retorted, although he could have cared less what they did.

"I also said, 'or dinner.'" She reminded him patiently.

He grumbled underneath his breath, but did not comment.

"What I wanted to say was that you and I need to talk about your behavior." She checked the light again, before looking over at him. "You've been acting even more immature than usual, especially since Toby was born, and I want to know why."

House's tone was as mocking as ever, his voice high-pitched as he responded, "No I haven't!"

"House!" she snapped, green eyes lighting up as her lips tightened in a frown. "Can't you be serious for once!?"

He opened his mouth, before snapping it shut at her expression. Heaving a sigh, he managed to slink even lower in his seat before pointing at the light. "Green."

Turning to see it, she proceeded on, unaware of the sounds of squealing tires and warning shouts. When the other vehicle was nearly upon them, she gasped loudly. Just in time to have the air ripped from her lungs when the pickup truck plowed into the driver's side.

Metal tore through metal, the tearing screeches combining with the grunts and shouts of the occupants of the little car. The momentum carried the Sedan from the right lane of the road, into the side of a mom & pop store on the corner. Rubble rained down upon the roof, sending a cloud of dust into the air and into the crevices of the vehicle.

When everything had settled, House blinked widely and let out a small groan of pain. Gingerly touching his brow, he winced when he connected with a fresh gash. He glanced over at Cameron, trying to peer through the hazy fog of dirt that floated about.

"Allison?" his voice sounded hoarse. Gently touching her shoulder, he tried again. "Allison?"

She did not respond, her body remaining slumped against the steering wheel. Blood seeped steadily from her arm, soaking through her pink blouse as a garish bruise marred her forehead.

Glancing down at his burning ribcage, he caught sight of a sliver of metal protruding from his skin. Smirking weakly, he managed to say, "Cool..." before feeling a wave of nausea and pain overcome him once more. House sat back and waited for help to arrive, unable to aide anyone while pinned to a seat.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Thanks to ShipperCrazed - FanFicCrazy for the idea.**


	26. Awake

Slowly opening his eyes, House attempted to blink away the blurry vision he saw. Gritty dirt covered him, head-to-toe, that much he knew. It was under his nails, between his fingers, and possibly under his eyelids. Aggravated, he twisted his head to the side to catch a glimpse of a masked man breathing heavily before him.

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?" the figure called out, voice distorted.

House looked around slowly, having felt like he roused from a deep slumber. Cameron was no longer in the seat beside him, he noted. Panic flared in his gut, and he attempted to escape from his metal prison, until the masked man placed thick gloves on his shoulders and gently eased him back down. Pain erupted from his chest, and House suddenly remembered the crash, and the sliver of metal currently sticking crudely from his chest.

"Sir? We extricated the woman, she's on her way to the hospital. We're trying to get you out as fast as possible, but we need you to remain calm. Do you understand?"

_**No**_, House muttered in his head angrily.

"Do you understand?" the man shouted louder, and more deliberate.

House nodded dumbly, too stunned for any smart remarks. He reclined his head back with a low groan, closing his eyes as the man retreated to God knows where. He could hear several machines and people outside the car now, a low rumble as they collided into one massive sound that peaked the beginnings of a headache.

"Sir? Stay awake, please! We need you to keep your eyes open." The deep, robotic like voice was back. House turned to him with a less than powerful glare.

_**Stay awake?!**_ His mind shouted as his blue eyes attempted to translate his pain and exhaustion.

An "All clear!" was heard from somewhere beyond House's line of vision, and the man shouted something back in return, before carefully removing his mask and replacing the helmet about his head. The worn tag on the grime-covered helmet read "Michael." House studied the young rescuer; he noted the worried green eyes and soot covered jawline.

"Hey," House called out. He mentally winced at how harsh his voice sounded. Squinting his eyes, he continued. "How old are you?"

Michael quickly met his eyes and glanced back down, almost shyly. "I'm twenty-three, sir."

"Do you...have experience doing this?" House's tone sounded incredulous.

Squaring his jaw, Michael finally met his gaze with one full of contempt. "Yes, sir," he said firmly. Commotion behind him caused him to lean back out of the vehicle, before moving back in with a large, Fire Fighter's jacket. "We're going to have to put this over your head, sir. To protect you from further debris as we cut into the car, in order to get you out. Don't move," he nearly pleaded as he saw the look in House's eyes. "Please, we don't won't you to further aggravate that wound you have there," he said as he motioned towards the metal.

Carefully placing the jacket over House, he retreated and called out to his fellow workers. House listened as they all called something to one another, cloaked in darkness underneath a musty smelling jacket that made him itchy. Finally, he took a deep breath and conked out. Too tired and in too much pain to hold onto consciousness any longer.

* * *

Lying in a lumpy hospital cot, Cameron slowly roused with a soft moan. She glanced around at her surroundings, and noted the familiarity of the room. _**Princeton Plainsboro**_, she concluded.

"Cameron?" a worried voice called out, followed by a wail. "Allison, are you awake?" The voice became closer, until the speaker was within her line of vision. Sort of.

"Wilson?" she whispered hoarsely, unsure which Wilson she should be talking to. "I'm seeing two of you," she claimed. "It's so blurry..."

"Allison?" Wilson stepped forward, adjusting Toby in his arms as he pressed the call button. He attempted to console the fussy child as he waited for help to arrive. As he did, Wilson certainly hoped that his other good friend was doing okay. House was still trapped in the Sedan last he heard. Several footsteps in the doorway announced the arrival of help, and Wilson skillfully maneuvered his body out of the way in order to let them work.

He made sure to stay within the line of her limited sight, in hopes of keeping her calm as everything sunk in. A tug on his ear made his look down at the little boy in his arms.

"Wislon," Toby wailed, pink lips scrunched as his blue eyes glistened with a bout of new tears. "House! House! Wislon, House?"

Shaking his head slowly, Wilson sighed and gently caressed the soft brown hair atop of Toby's head, before placing a kiss there as well. "He'll be here," he told him. _**I hope.**_

"Jim?" Cameron looked around the room for him, nearly in a panic, and he stepped forward quickly to reassure her that he was still there.

Grabbing her flailing hand, Wilson gently squeezed it. "I'm here, Allison."

"Here!" Toby cried out, clapping his hands together before being, once again, easily distracted by the buttons of Wilson's shirt.

"Where's House?" she nearly whispered, and Wilson felt his heart drop a little at her lost expression. He squeezed her hand again.

"He'll be here," he stated. "He'll be here."

* * *

_"I had a dream, you were in it…y-you came over to my p-lace…it wasn't a dream was it?" _

_"Don't hurt me." _

_ "You should talk to her House, for both of your sakes. You should also spend a little more time with your son…don't become like your father." _

"What's that supposed to mean?" House mumbled, unaware that his young rescuer was watching him with a deep concern.

"_Whatever you want it to mean, House." _

"What..." House trailed off, eyes glazed and unseeing. An easy clasp on his left shoulder roused him from his half slumber, and he inhaled sharply. Bright lights danced before him, before he realized that it was due to the fact that he no longer had the heavy coat draped over his head, sheltering him in a dark cocoon. Unsteadily, he glimpsed over at Michael, before shaking his head. "Are we almost done, or what?" he demanded, voice still tinged with a hoarseness.

"We're done, Doctor House. We'll be moving someone in behind you to place a C-Collar around your neck, then we'll move you to the ambulance waiting just over there," he pointed at the running vehicle before turning back to his charge,"And they'll take you to Princeton Plainsboro, where that young lady has been asking for you."

Zoning in and out of Michael's little spiel, House focused on one thing. "How do you know my name?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Slightly taken-aback, Michael furrowed his brow and tapped his breast pocket before gesturing towards House. "I checked your pockets, Dr. House."

Unable to form another response, House closed his eyes and nodded.

* * *

"Relax sweetie, relax." A nurse coddled Cameron as she moaned in pain, attempting to push her doctors away as they stitched the gash on her arm up. With a fear of a concussion, they opted for no medication until she was all clear, which currently meant she was in a world of hurt.

Wilson watched from the far corner of the room, relieved that Toby was fast asleep as the boy's mother cried out once more. He looked up when he heard the familiar sound of heels tapping down the hall at a rapid pace, and Lisa Cuddy appeared in the doorway as if on cue.

"Oh God," she murmured, raising a hand to her mouth. Wilson stood and accepted her hug with his free arm. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he relayed all new and pertinent information he had gathered in his short time with Cameron.

"And House?" Cuddy looked up to him, eyes full of worry for a friend.

"En route-"

"Here?"

Wilson nodded. "Here."

Shoulders drooping with slight relief, Lisa took a few steps forward, watching the doctors work on her friend. "I'm glad they finally got him out. I tried to get here as fast as I could but..." she whirled on a heel and demanded, "What the hell happened?"

"I-I don't know. I heard that a truck ran a red light," he answered. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed heavily. "They were going to have dinner tonight. Work out their problems..." Cuddy picked up on his sadness.

"Hey," she gently touched his cheek. Noting the haggard look on his usually boyish face, she frowned and carefully pulled Toby out of his arms and into her own. "Go, get some sleep." Before he could protest, she added, "I'll get you as soon as House arrives. I promise."

Without hesitation, Wilson nodded. Unlike House's and Cameron's relationship, he could readily and easily trust his companion. It was also a trait that House enjoyed to pick to pieces, and once more Wilson felt a deep sadness overwhelm him. _**House may be an ass, **_he thought to himself as he dragged his feet across the floor, and out of the room, _**But he's still a friend.

* * *

**_

**TBC...**_**  
**_


	27. Bloodbuzz

**A/N: I am so, so, so sorry for the long wait. Between school, work, and my DEP obligations (and several other things,) I have been too busy and overwhelmed to work on this. Hopefully I still have some readers left. Please review and let me know how I did.**

* * *

Buzzing.

That was all he could hear.

A steady, hypnotic buzzing sound.

He opened his eyes slowly, blinking them hard and rolling his eyes around in an attempt to clear the blurriness. His eyes continued to flutter open and close as his mouth parted open, as if he were trying to speak, but all that came out was a harsh cough that sent a white-hot flash of pain to his chest.

House groaned in pain, but it only served to further aggravate his parched and dust-lined throat. His following hacking and coughing had him trying to hunch into a ball as the onslaught of pain repeatedly overcame him.

Finally doctors and nurses responded, and were at his side instantly talking over one another as they tried to figure out what was wrong.

"Wah-terh," House said, flailing his arm as he tried to point to the pitcher by his bedside.

"Water, Dr. House?"

He closed his eyes in relief and nodded slowly.

They allowed him to take several, little sips of the refreshing liquid before the sedative that was inserted into his IV took effect and he slowly drifted to sleep. As the darkness crowding at the edge of his peripheral overtook him, he swore he saw Cameron standing at the end of his bed. He smiled briefly, before completely passing out.

Cameron couldn't look away from the sharp, blue orbs that seemed to pierce her soul. Those wise, bright, and knowing eyes that were sometimes full of humor, sometimes bitterness or resentfulness. Mostly it was pain that clouded those eyes, and that tore at Cameron's heart every day.

She looked down at her son, who had nestled his head into the crook of her neck and was now sleeping soundly. The love of her life was lying before her, completely unconscious and unaware of her presence. Her eyes filled with tears as she recalled another day, a faraway memory.

"Oh, House," she whispered, placing a free hand on his blanket-covered leg.

Toby snuffled in her ear, and she carefully wrapped both arms around him before placing a kiss on the top of his hair. As she was about to leave the room, the sound of the door swishing open made her stop. Cameron looked up to see Wilson standing in the doorway awkwardly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I thought he was alone." Wilson placed his hands in his lab coat pockets and worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

"It's okay," she replied, unable to stop herself from smiling fondly at the man. He was such an innocent, little boy sometimes.

"Is he okay?" Wilson motioned towards his motionless friend, before pointing a thumb over his shoulder towards the nurses' station. "I heard he woke up again."

"He did, briefly." Cameron kept her voice light and neutral; she couldn't handle being upset again. She didn't think she had any more tears to cry.

"He's been out for a few days now," Wilson began, stepping further into the room and sliding the door closed behind him. "How are you holding up?"

Cameron furrowed her brow. "He's been out for a few days, and you're asking how _I'm _doing?"

Wilson blinked once. "Yes."

"Well, I'm fine," she said, turning away from him to look at House again. "I guess."

"You guess?" Wilson pulled a chair over and sat on the arm of it, and Cameron couldn't help but wonder what would happen if it broke under his weight. But he was talking again. "Seriously, Allison. How are you?"

"I don't know," she replied truthfully. Her arm itched like hell where she was stitched up, and her head still ached and her future husband-to-be was lying before her in a hospital bed. To make matters worse, Toby was going through a colicky stage where he stayed up all night fussing and crying, but slept all day in her arms.

She turned to face Wilson, her eyes wide and beginning to fill up rapidly with tears.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed," she stated, her throat painfully closing up as she fought off the tears.

Wilson, a bit alarmed at the sudden change, leapt up quickly and wrapped his arms around the younger woman. "There, there," he said in what he hoped was a soothing manner. "Everything will be all right."

Just then the doors swished open and the clicking heels alerted them to the arrival of Cuddy. Immediately she saw the two and stopped. "Is everything okay?"

Wilson made eye-contact over Cameron's shoulder and nodded, giving her the "O.K." sign behind her back. Cuddy nodded back and left the two hesitantly. After a few minutes, Wilson pulled away slowly, mindful of the child she held in her arms, and gently rubbed her back up and down a few times. "Better?"

"Much," she sighed. Giving him a weary smile, she added, "Thank you."

Wilson gave her a brotherly smile, full of warmth and love. "Anytime." The two looked over at House, and shared a mixed expression of sadness and affection. Although Cameron's held a bit of bitterness, which Wilson remarked on curiously.

"It's just that," she trailed off and looked away uncomfortably.

"Go on," he urged, resuming his seat on the arm of the unsteady chair.

"I thought that going out to eat and talking would bring us closer together. I'm afraid that this may actually drive us further apart."

It was nearly silent after her confession, but soon the sounds of the hospital filtered in again and Wilson took that moment to recover from his momentary shock and reply firmly, "Don't blame yourself for this, Allison. It wasn't your fault. It was an accident."

Cameron shook her head. "I promised not to hurt him, James, and I did just that."

_House frowned and bit his bottom lip hard, barely noticing he broke skin and was bleeding. His thoughts warred with one another.. Finally House squeezed his eyes shut, and whispered so softly it was barely heard. "Don't hurt me."_

_Cameron's studious face went pale, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. She darted forward and gathered House up into a tight embrace. He hugged her back despite the fact he was in an uncomfortable position. He felt his arms slipping from her back but he reached up and held her tighter, afraid to let go._

"Don't hurt me," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly with emotional strain. Wilson made as if to stand up again, but she shook her head and moved a few steps away from his reach.

"Maybe," he started, unsure of how to rearrange his following words. "Maybe this will bring you both closer together rather than pull you apart."

She wanted to whirl around and snap at him, but she wasn't House. She was Cameron. She was calm, cool, collected. "I don't know."

He shrugged slightly, as if to tell himself, "Well, I tried that idea."

"Wilson, thanks for the talk. I needed that." She gave him a brief smile.

He took that for the polite dismissal it was, and stood up. As he opened the doors, he turned back and asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything you need, that I can get?"

Cameron looked down at her son, the other love of her life, and nodded. "If it wouldn't be a problem, would you mind taking Toby for a few?"

Wilson smiled happily and opened his arms to accept the warm, sleeping bundle of toddler. "Not at all. I'll bring him back when he starts to cry and fuss." He threw her a little, playful grin to show he was kidding before leaving her to be by herself again.

Once alone, she dragged the now unoccupied chair over to House's side and rested her head next to his outstretched arm. She traced the skin down to his hand, before intertwining his limp fingers with her own.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her mouth pressed against the scratchy cotton of the hospital sheets. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

_The soft beeping of monitors were anything but soft to the sensitive ears of Greg House as he blinked awake, his stiff tongue lapping at his dry bottom lip, begging for a drop of water. House rolled his eyes upward, squeezing his eyes shut to quell the unmerciful, pounding migraine that thumped a steady beat against House's skull._

_House swallowed repeatedly, dying for a drink…dying…dying…_

With a start House jerked awake, a grunt of exertion slipping past his parched lips. Someone was already by his side, placing a straw between his cracked lips and gently urging him to take care of the amount he took in. After he was finished, he lie back and sighed. It was her. It was Cameron.

_House allowed himself a few deep breaths before fully noticing the young woman was Cameron._

"Better?"

House nodded once before gruffly replying, "Thank you."

"Of course," she answered simply. She tilted her head to the side and hid a smile.

"What?" he all but demanded, his voice still hoarse.

"Nothing, just," she waved a hand in the air, "Deja vu."

House took a moment, looked around and nodded in agreement slowly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," he snapped.

Cameron frowned. "You did."

House rolled his eyes, despite himself. "Give her a medal." He fumbled for the bed control. Putting himself into an upright position, and ignoring the painful ache in his chest, he eyed her up and down and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Surprised, she quickly replied, "Fine."

He narrowed his eyes. "Liar."

"Everybody lies."

They looked at one another, a brief and pointless power struggle, before House broke and looked away.

"Where's the kid?"

"With his Uncle Wislon."

House smirked.

"He hates you for that you know."

"No he doesn't."

"I know."

They looked at one another.

"Look-"

"Sorry."

They started to speak at the same time and stopped. Cameron motioned for him to go first, but instead he frowned and stared at her.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?" he asked.

She flushed pink with a mixture of embarrassment and shame. "I promised not to hurt you."

House's eyes widened a hair. "You didn't."

She covered a snort, and rolled her eyes. "Look at you, House. Look where you're at."

"That's not your fault," he said, deliberately stressing each word. "You weren't driving the damn truck, were you?"

"No."

"Then shut-up, and come here." He held his weakened arms out, and she gladly climbed onto the bed and settled into them. He looked around, placed a light and quick kiss on her forehead and muttered loud enough for her to hear, "Moron."

The smile in his voice was evident. Cameron drifted off to sleep, a small grin on her face.

* * *

**TBC...**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


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